Are You Assisting in Innoculations ?

[WolfmanHarris]

Peterborough County Council just approved $7000.00 to cover costs associated with Paramedics running flu clinics for Police and Fire by Peterborough City-County EMS Paramedics. (This is not the service where I work, just the county I live in. Was reported in the local paper today.)

[northernmedic]

We have some mobile vaccine vans starting in the GVRD for staff this week. There has been mass innoculation going on at holiday picks over the past 5 days. The public health clinics seem to be completely disorganized. Some are over run and others don't have a single person in line. Several hospitals have vaccinated have their staff here in Vancouver but then have run out of vaccine until friday.

[tniuqs]

Well this is the latest from Alberta Health website.

Due to the unexpected national shortage of the H1N1 vaccine, Alberta Health Services and Alberta Health and Wellness announced plans to begin targeted immunization of Albertans at high risk.

Starting on Thursday, November 5, children aged 6 months (on day of vaccination) to under five years as of November 1st will be targeted. Proof of age (Health Care card, birth certificate or other valid identification) must be provided.

On Friday, November 6, the program will expand to include pregnant women.

At this time, the vaccine will not be available to other Albertans. When more vaccine becomes available from the manufacturer, the targeted immunization program will be further expanded to include people under 65 with chronic health conditions. Details will be announced as more information becomes available on the vaccine supply.

All Albertans who want to be immunized will have that opportunity when increased supply of the vaccine arrives from the manufacturer To ensure vaccine can be provided to high risk groups, no exceptions can be allowed. This is a provincewide roll-out.

But under this on the website

Alberta's Plan for Pandemic Influenza

We're prepared

During an influenza pandemic, all Albertans – including those who provide essential services and health care – will be at risk of getting ill. The provincial plan to prepare for an influenza pandemic will reduce the impact of the disease but not eliminate it.The Government of Alberta has been preparing the health system and the province for an influenza pandemic since 1999. The work is led by Alberta Health and Wellness and the Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA). The work involves a range of partners, including other provincial ministries, Alberta Health Services (AHS), municipalities, first responders, and professional organizations.Alberta’s response plan has been revised to reflect the current pandemic H1N1 influenza. It is used in conjunction with municipal plans, AHS plans and the Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan for the Health Sector, prepared by a partnership of federal, provincial and territorial governments to provide a coordinated response.The goal of Alberta’s plan is to reduce illness and death due to influenza and minimize disruptions to the daily life of Albertans. The plan will be updated and added to as new information becomes available.

The revised plan will be posted soon.

And the latest Buzzz umm screw up:

The Alberta Health Services employee who arranged for the Calgary Flames to get the H1N1 flu vaccine has been fired.

AHS issued the following statement: Alberta Health Services leaders learned Monday, November 2, 2009, that H1N1 vaccinations were provided last week to players and families of the Calgary Flames. Disciplinary action has been taken, resulting in the dismissal today of the most senior staff member involved. An investigation is continuing and may result in further disciplinary action. A report will be released at that time. Alberta Health Services (AHS) has determined that Flames management made a decision based on information and a process that they believed was approved by AHS.

“Like most Albertans, I am deeply offended that this circumstance has occurred. AHS Board and management have a fundamental commitment to serve all Albertans according to their needs, in medical priority. This circumstance was a clear departure from that principle. We set the expectation that this should not have happened and should not happen again,” said Board Chair Ken Hughes.“The decision to allow preferential access to the Flames and their families was a serious error in judgment on the part of the staff involved,” said AHS President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Stephen Duckett. “Our policies on vaccine distribution are designed to ensure an equitable distribution of the vaccine to all Albertans. The special treatment for the Flames and their families is unacceptable to us and contrary to all of our existing protocols and processes. I apologize for this breach of our duty to Albertans.”

Comments

The Calgary Police Service has the capability to vaccinate their officers, all they needed is the vaccine, and yet, they were DENIED!!!!ABU, November 4th 2009, 11:41pm

Well being in a rather High risk group myself cough, hack, wheeze .... well I guess I too can pull monkeys out of my ass

And the GONG Show goes on.

[tniuqs]

Well the plot thickens (politically) 3 million have been inoculated, Canada wide while 3 more million vials sit in warehouses.

FAIL ALL IMHO.

BC health minister is saying they surprised to recieve the Vaccine so quickly but a plan for delivery was not in place ? HUH Why ?

The focus now with for example (3700 First Responders in BC not having vaccine) or available to them.

Your provincial mileage may vary But the Nations capital is reporting a 40% increase in Peds admission under 9 years old. The ICUs are at full capacity in Ottawa due to this staffing issue in Hospital, has caused surgery's to be cancelled. The advice From Canad Health Dr. Butler Jones late edit/ correction and Dr. B King Chief Medical Officer of Health of Ontario BC Health Minister <insert name> agrees more deaths to come and that is that this is not slowing down although other "so called" experts are saying it has reached a conclusion ... hmm who to believe ?

Word on the AHC website although the media is reporting clincs are opening ... here is the link for AB:

http://www4.albertahealthservices.ca/Immunization/

ONLY Children aged 6 months

Child must be at least 6 months old when they receive the vaccine

Children under 5 years of age

Your child must be under 5 years of age as of November 1, 2009 to be eligible

Proof of age (Health Care card, birth certificate or other valid identification) must be provided.

Starting on Friday, November 6 and onwards:

Pregnant women..

ah the finger pointing begins provincial vs national

On the Media front National Geographic Channel aired a H5N1 or Hemorrhagic Fever documentary.

I watched the thriller "Outbreak" with Dustin Hoffman on another channel an awesome fiction.

Could Media be trying to fan the FLAMES (no pun intended) to increase ratings ... again hmmm ?

I am still sitting at home playing arm chair quarterback and watching debates in House of Parliament ... quite entertaining.

cheers

Late Entry Afghanistan 7 deaths reported H1N1 and all schools closed this from BBC.

Edited November 5, 2009 by tniuqs

[island emt]

Got the word today that H1N1 vaccines are finally arriving in sufficient volume so that starting next week we will start holding clinics at local elementary schools for the kids.

No mention of when we[the EMS providers] will get the vaccines for us. So you see it's not any different here south of the border.

[tniuqs]

Ok:

Squint smacks head against wall ... a whole 18 respondents in the poll but tons of this or that, hey sure please comment but PLEASE how the hell can 20 respondents generate a tangible piece of paper, when I go and and bang on some doors.

sheesh

no offence island but did you vote ?

[island emt]

Ok:

Squint smacks head against wall ... a whole 18 respondents in the poll but tons of this or that, hey sure please comment but PLEASE how the hell can 20 respondents generate a tangible piece of paper, when I go and and bang on some doors.

sheesh

no offence island but did you vote ?

But of course I voted: What do you think I am , An airheaded canuckistanian???? [just kidding]

[rock_shoes]

We have some mobile vaccine vans starting in the GVRD for staff this week. There has been mass innoculation going on at holiday picks over the past 5 days. The public health clinics seem to be completely disorganized. Some are over run and others don't have a single person in line. Several hospitals have vaccinated have their staff here in Vancouver but then have run out of vaccine until friday.

Looks like another case of there being no hope east of Hope. Interior paramedics have been left out in the cold to rely solely on gaining access at one of the public health clinics. Formal complaints have been launched, but it will be too late by the time anything comes of them.

[tniuqs]

Looks like another case of there being no hope east of Hope. Interior paramedics have been left out in the cold to rely solely on gaining access at one of the public health clinics. Formal complaints have been launched, but it will be too late by the time anything comes of them.

Very sorry to hear in the news that BC is now a communist dictatorship, Comrade Campbell is making friends everywhere

[Richard B the EMT]

Although I was not giving any injections, but instead, was running a computer to log members of the department in and out of the location, I was a part of this. The information was supplied by the FDNY Office of Public Information.

Fire Fighters, EMTs, and Paramedics had the right to refuse the injection, which I logged as either medically contra-indicated (they were mildly sick at the time), had already had the shot from somewhere else, or simply didn't want it. Each company was called in by turn, so as to not strip the respective areas of fire or EMS coverage.

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<H1 align=center>FDNY Distributes H1N1 Vaccine during the Seventh Annual BIOPOD Drill</H1>

Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta explains BIOPOD 2009 in the FDOC with Chief of Department Salvatore Cassano and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kerry Kelly.

At the FDNY, preparation is essential. So the Department held its seventh annual BIOPOD drill from Nov. 5 through 8, during which all first responders were offered the H1N1 influenza vaccine.

The exercise is part of the Department's ongoing initiative to plan for its response to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive incidents.

"Our reason for BIOPOD is obvious: Our city is only safe if our first responders are safe," said Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta. "And we want to know that if there is an emergency need to vaccinate our members, we can do so quickly and efficiently."

To reach all the FDNY's first responders, there were 10 fixed points of distribution (PODs) and three mobile PODs located throughout the five boroughs, which provided vaccinations from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. for four days.

A firefighter receives the H1N1 vaccine during BIOPOD 2009.

This year, the Department also deployed its Incident Management Team to coordinate the exercise.

"This will not only test our preparedness, but also provide our members with a critical inoculation," said Dr. Kerry Kelly, the FDNY's Chief Medical Officer.

She noted that while members are not required to receive the vaccine, she urges all members to take it, to protect their health, as well as their coworkers and families.

The drill is conducted by the FDNY Bureau of Health Services in conjunction with the FDNY Bureau of Operations and is part of the City's overall emergency response plan that combines the efforts of the Fire Department with other city agencies, including the Police Department, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Office of Emergency Management.

For more information about the H1N1 vaccine, visit the following websites:

• www.flu.gov
• www.cdc.gov, follow the link to H1N1 flu
• www.nyc.gov/flu, New York City Department of Health
• www.health.state.ny.us, NYS Dept. of Health, follow link to H1N1, then "frequently asked questions"
• www.hhs.gov, US Department of Health
• www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/health/10primer.html?_r=3&hpw, a New York Times article
• cnettv.cnet.com/swine-flu-h1n1/9742-1_53-50078371.html, CBS' 60 Minutes video
• 718-999-1919, BHS Hotline, staffed by nurses to answer questions concerning the vaccination program
• 1-800-808-1987, the New York State Department of Health answer line

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