Northerners Now Receiving H1N1 Flu Shots

Northerners Now Receiving H1N1 Flu Shots

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 14:00

 

 

Vaccinations have begun in northern Saskatchewan for the H1N1 flu.

 

Residents in Denare Beach received phone calls today from the local band office, reminding them they could receive their shots from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

 

Weyakwin is the next community on the vaccine list, with shots due to be delivered tomorrow.

 

More communities are scheduled to begin their campaigns next week.

 

Meantime, Dr. Mandiangu Nsungu of the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority says the vaccine has arrived in the far north as well.

 

Nsungu notes it comes at a good time, as the H1N1 virus is slowly begin a resurgence in the northern part of the province.

 

“We know that for the time being, the H1N1 infection is spreading much faster than it was doing the last two or three weeks. We have a certain number of clusters in certain communities,” he says.

 

According to health officials in the Athabasca Basin, vaccinations will begin next week in Black Lake, Fond du Lac, Camsell Portage, Stony Rapids and Uranium City.

 

Nsungu acknowledges that not all of the health workers in the north are agreeing to get the shot.

 

However, he stresses the vast majority of them are — and he notes that he himself was recently vaccinated, with no ill side effects.