A heatlh worker prepares an injection during H1N1 flu innoculations.SAUL LOEB/AFP / Getty Images
Some 40,000 health care workers in Saskatchewan can start rolling up their sleeves Monday to get the swine flu vaccine if they want it.
The H1N1 vaccine recently got regulatory approval from Health Canada and provincial health officials say the first shipment of 56,000 doses has already been sent to local health regions.
"Initially, it's a very limited vaccination program over the last few days of October primarily for health care workers to make sure they're fully protected as they continue to care for people who may get ill with H1N1 or who may be at high risk," says Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan's deputy chief medical health officer.
"But then the first week of November the vaccine will be offered to people with high-risk conditions."
Officials estimate there are about 120,000 people in high risk groups such as those with underlying health conditions, young children, pregnant women, First Nations and those in remote communities.
Dr. Shahab says it isn't possible to speed up the rollout plan, even though approval has been given. He says they simply don't yet have enough of the vaccine on hand.
"We have a commitment in Saskatchewan ... to administer the vaccine as soon as we receive it and that's the best commitment we can give," says Dr. Shahab. "We won't delay the vaccine administration just so that we build up a large stock. We are administering as soon as we are receiving and I think that's the best we can do operationally."
"We are limited by the supply."
Dr. Shahab notes that the rollout is actually starting two to three weeks earlier than was initially planned because the vaccine was ready ahead of schedule. He says the shipments should get larger toward the middle of November and at that point the vaccine will be available for every Saskatchewan resident who wants or needs it.
"We were estimating around 75 per cent and we hope it's as high as that. We'll be very happy if 75 per cent of Saskatchewan residents come forward and get the vaccine over November," says Dr. Shahab.
The rollout comes as officials in Estevan, Sask., reported an H1N1 outbreak in what appears to be the second wave of the flu. Eighty students from Estevan Comprehensive High School were off sick Thursday with flu-like symptoms and there are other cases in the community.
Saskatchewan has also recorded five deaths associated with the H1N1 flu. Health officials say everyone who died had serious underlying health conditions.
Dr. Shahab also says people should get the shot even if the second wave of the flu has already arrived.
"It would still mean as much as 80 per cent of the population is susceptible, so even if the second wave had come earlier the recommendation would still be for everyone to get the vaccine," he says, noting that people could get sick over the winter.