Province provides update on flu vaccine supply

CTV Calgary: End of the line for flu shots? Dwindling supply of the flu vaccine has increased demand at clinics. Ina Sidhu reports.

The province says it plans to operate flu clinics in Calgary until the end of the week and then will assess the situation and see if adjustments need to be made.

Calgary Zone Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Judy MacDonald provided an update on Thursday and says Alberta Health Services continues to work diligently to manage the existing supply of influenza vaccine.

“We anticipate that here in Calgary zone, the vaccine supply will allow us to operate our clinics as planned for today and tomorrow,” said Dr. MacDonald.

The province says it will provide up-to-date information on clinics and the availability of the vaccine on its website.

“The best information then, to find out about the status of our clinics is to look on Alberta Health Services website or call HealthLink,” said Dr. MacDonald.

She says the nasal spray or FluMist version of the vaccine is no longer available but that the injectable form is safe for most people.

“The FluMist supply in Calgary Zone is now finished, we don’t have any more FluMist vaccine but we continue to have the injectable vaccine which is licenced and safe to use in anyone six months of age and older,” said Dr. MacDonald.

As of Wednesday, there were over 1400 confirmed cases of the flu in Alberta.

Dr. MacDonald says they are monitoring how things are going within emergency departments and urgent care facilities and says they are able to manage the current number of cases.

“At this point in time, we’re able to manage the demand for care and are not looking at a flu care clinic in Calgary.”

Once the clinics close, some doses of the vaccine will be reserved for children who have already received first doses and require a second.

The province says it will also reserve some doses in case of outbreaks in health care centres and continuing care sites.

MacDonald also talked about the need for healthcare workers to get vaccinated.

“We always recommend that our healthcare workers get influenza vaccines. Not only does it protect themselves from exposure because they’re on the front lines, they could be exposed to influenza, perhaps more likely to be exposed than say someone on the general population, and it also helps to protect our patients too,” said MacDonald.

AHS posted its employee influenza immunization rates on its website and says just under 50 percent of its staff have been vaccinated.

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