Pandemic H1N1 vaccination to begin in November

CV News talked with a spokesperson at the BC Centre for Disease Control about this year’s seasonal flu vaccination program.

Roy Wadia explained that novel pandemic H1N1 (swine) flu is the predominant strain of seasonal flu at the present time, accounting for well over 90% of cases. Novel pandemic H1N1 will be the target of a separate vaccination campaign during November and December. It will not be included in the 3 strains in this year’s regular seasonal flu vaccination campaign, which will cover a different H1N1 as well as H3N2 and influenza B beginning on October 13.

This fall’s regular flu vaccination campaign will be interrupted for novel pandemic H1N1 vaccinations, and will continue early in 2010.

BC’s 2009 seasonal flu vaccination program takes into account as-yet-unpublished evidence reported by Canadian researchers that people who had a seasonal flu shot last year incurred a higher risk of acquiring pandemic H1N1 disease (Unpublished Canadian data on seasonal flu shots and H1N1 stir concern).

Targeted vaccine campaign

Victoria
September 28, 2009
Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport
BC Centre for Disease Control
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B.C.’s seasonal flu vaccine campaign will focus first on those at highest risk for seasonal flu and be followed closely by the H1N1 flu vaccine that will be available to everyone who needs and wants it, announced Minister of Healthy Living and Sport Ida Chong with provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall.

“Delivering the vaccine campaign in this fashion allows us to best protect British Columbians most at risk from seasonal flu, while still ensuring that everyone who needs and wants the H1N1 flu vaccine will be able to receive it as soon as it’s available,” said Kendall. “By initially targeting the seasonal flu campaign to those at highest risk, it not only removes a number of logistical challenges that come with trying to run two full immunization programs at once, but it is also in the best public health interest of British Columbians.”

On October 13, the seasonal flu vaccine will be offered to people 65 and older, and residents in long-term care homes. A pneumococcal vaccine will also be available at the same time for high-risk individuals (seniors and those with chronic medical conditions) to prevent influenza-related pneumonia.

“This is a decision that has not been taken lightly,” said Chong. “It has been assisted by independent ethical review and has undergone thoughtful review and deliberation by public health officials, scientists and policy makers in B.C. and across Canada over the past several weeks.”

Starting in November, the H1N1 flu vaccine will be rolled out and will be available to everyone who needs and wants it. Then, in early 2010, the seasonal flu vaccine will once again be offered to everyone else under the age of 65 according to the usual guidelines.

“This year, the predominant strain of seasonal influenza is, in fact, the pandemic H1N1 virus,” said Dr. David Patrick, epidemiology services director at the BC Centre for Disease Control. “While those people who are 65 and older and who live in long-term care homes should still receive the seasonal flu shot, for the majority of the population, the flu virus they need to protect themselves against is this strain of H1N1.”

The decision to focus the flu vaccine campaign in this way was based on a number of reasons, including:

• The possibility of an early fall second wave of H1N1 flu.
• The timing of H1N1 vaccine availability.
• The strains of influenza that are currently circulating.
• Canadian research that has suggested a potential association between prior seasonal influenza vaccination and the risk of acquiring pandemic H1N1 disease.

For more information on the H1N1 flu virus, visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/h1n1.

Backgrounder

British Columbia’s 2009 flu vaccine campaigns

B.C.’s seasonal flu vaccine campaign will focus first on those at highest risk for seasonal flu and be followed closely by the H1N1 flu vaccine that will be available to everyone who needs and wants it. The timeline of vaccine delivery will be as follows:

Oct. 13, 2009

Seasonal flu vaccine will be available to:

• Persons 65 and older and living in B.C.
• Residents of long-term care homes in B.C.

Pneumococcal vaccine will be available to high-risk individuals (seniors and those with chronic medical conditions) to prevent influenza-related pneumonia.

November-December 2009

H1N1 flu virus vaccine will be made available to everyone who needs and wants it and all British Columbians who need and want the H1N1 vaccine will be able to receive at least one dose before the end of this year.

While British Columbia will follow the guidelines from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) on which groups would benefit most from being immunized against H1N1, it is not expected that any British Columbians will have difficulty receiving the vaccine in a timely manner. In fact, it’s expected B.C. will be capable of delivering the vaccine to everyone who needs and wants it within four to six weeks.

Early 2010

The seasonal flu vaccine will be made available to all other recommended groups under the age of 65 years.