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Now it's time to roll up your sleeve for the regular flu shot By Tim Foran METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP 9 · Wednesday, December 2, 2009 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com Halton Region's health department gave clearance Monday afternoon for doctors to begin offering seasonal flu shots to all individuals, not just those over 65-years-old. The Region will also make the seasonal flu shot available to the general population along with the H1N1 flu vaccine at its clinics in north Halton Wednesday and south Halton Thursday. Both vaccines are available for persons older than six months of age. The health department, supported by the Province's Ministry of Health, state people can get both shots at the same time if they want. The Region will shut down its clinics on Dec. 15. However, it will offer five more clinics in January for children who require a second dose of either of the vaccines or for people who haven't received their shots. The vaccines are widely available at doctors' offices, according to Halton's Medical Officer of Health Dr. Bob Nosal. In an interview, Nosal said it is unlikely a strain of the seasonal flu will emerge this season, as the pandemic H1N1 virus has taken over as the dominant strain in circulation. Yet, he said there is a small possibility a seasonal flu will circulate so it wouldn't hurt people to protect themselves by getting the flu shot. Thus far, only seniors have been able to get the seasonal flu vaccine, as the Province has considered them priority recipients. The H1N1 vaccine has been available to all individuals for approximately the past two weeks. The seasonal flu and pandemic H1N1 are different strains of the influenza virus, therefore it is necessary to receive both vaccines, according to health officials. "The seasonal flu vaccine will not protect you against the H1N1 flu virus. The H1N1 vaccine will not protect you against the seasonal flu viruses," states information on www.halton.ca/flu. While the H1N1 vaccine is specific to that strain, the seasonal flu vaccine is designed in early summer to combat three strains of the influenza virus that the World Health Organization predicts will be the most common in the upcoming flu season. That means it is important to get a seasonal flu shot each year, according to public health bodies. In previous years, public health officials have complained of the low take-up of the seasonal flu vaccine, even in Ontario where the vaccine is free and universally available. Halton Region's health department distributed 120,000 doses of the seasonal flu vaccine in the fall-winter seasons in both 2007 and 2008, said Nosal. In comparison, the department has already distributed 130,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine in the past fourand-a-half weeks. "I'm not anticipating there would be a greater demand this year (for the seasonal flu shot)," said Nosal, though he noted it is important for caregivers of at risk groups or health care workers to get their shot. While most healthy people will get over the seasonal flu in just over a week, the virus is especially dangerous to infants aged six to 23 months and seniors because they are susceptible to serious complications, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. The agency recommends healthy individuals also get the vaccine in order to prevent transmitting the virus to atrisk individuals. Flu vaccines do not contain live influenza virus and will not infect your children with the flu, the agency points out on its website www.fight- flu.ca. It takes about two weeks after immunization before the flu shot gives full protection. The Region's flu shot clinics are scheduled as follows (updates and wait times are available at www.halton.ca or by calling 311): Oakville, at Halton Regional Centre, Auditorium, 1151 Bronte Road -- Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2: 2 p.m. ­ 7 p.m. (H1N1 only); Thursday, Dec. 3: 2 p.m. ­ 7 p.m. (seasonal and H1N1); Saturday Dec. 5: noon ­ 4 p.m. (seasonal and H1N1); Tuesday, Dec. 8: 2 p.m. ­ 7 p.m. (seasonal and H1N1); Thursday, Dec.10: 2 p.m. ­ 7 p.m. (seasonal and H1N1); Saturday, Dec. 12: noon ­ 4 p.m. (seasonal and H1N1); and, Tuesday, Dec. 15: 2 p.m. ­ 7 p.m. (seasonal and H1N1). Both the adjuvanted & unadjuvanted H1N1 Vaccines will be available at this location, but the unadjuvanted vaccine is for pregnant women only. Thurs., Dec. 3rd till Sat., Dec. 5th *ONLY* Hopedale Mall, Oakville 905-465-3499 1 coupon per person QEW