North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit Media Release ********************* The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care has begun distributing the influenza vaccine throughout Ontario.
North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
Media Release
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The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care has begun distributing the influenza vaccine throughout Ontario. The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit has just received their first shipment of influenza vaccine, which consists of 40% of the total allotment for the district. Health care professionals will receive 40% of their influenza vaccine order later this week.
The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care has specified that the initial shipment of influenza vaccine be for persons in the high priority group. The high priority group consists of people at high risk for influenza related complications including those with significant medical conditions like diabetes, cancer, heart or lung disorders; anyone over the age of 65; residents in nursing homes or other chronic care facilities; and children aged 6 to 23 months. Also included in the high priority group are those who work or live with people in the high risk group such as health care professionals, emergency response personnel, child care providers and people who live in the same household as high risk people.
If you are in the high priority group, call your health care provider or the health unit to arrange for your influenza vaccine. The health unit’s first influenza clinics will be for those in the high priority group, starting in mid November. A schedule of all influenza clinics is available on the health unit website at www.nbpsdhu.ca or you can find them posted in various places throughout the district. The influenza vaccine is free for all Ontario residents.
For more information about influenza, please visit the Ministry of Health website www.health.gov.on.ca, the health unit website
www.nbpsdhu.ca, or call the health unit at 474-1400 or toll-free 1-800-563-2808.
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First clinics for high priority persons will be conducted:
Friday, November 10 and Monday November 13 at Martin Leo Troy Armoury - 540 Chippewa Street West
Saturday, November 18 at Indian Friendship Centre 890 Cassells Street
High priority persons are:
Healthy children aged 6-23 months, people 65 years of age and older and/or adults and children with chronic health conditions.
This population includes persons capable of transmitting influenza to the high-risk populations.
