Clinic with unadjuvanted vaccine has been scheduled by appointment for tomorrow in Moncton

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By Nick Moore
Times & Transcript Staff

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FREDERICTON - Pregnant women in New Brunswick can finally access the H1N1 flu vaccine manufactured specifically for them.

"This is a call for all pregnant women to come forward and get their vaccine," Dr. Eilish Cleary, the province's chief medical officer of health, said yesterday.

About 4,500 doses of the unadjuvanted H1N1 vaccine is now on the ground after weeks of delay. Local vaccination clinics for pregnant woman are now being organized.

As of press time last night, a Moncton vaccination clinic for pregnant women had been scheduled for tomorrow at the VON office, located at 1077 St. George Blvd., Suite 310, from 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. The clinic is being conducted by appointment only and pregnant women are being asked to call VON at 857-9115 to schedule their shot.

Last week, the province said pregnant women in the second half of their pregnancy (more than 20 weeks) and those less than 20 weeks with a pre-existing condition should get the vaccine as soon as possible due to increased local flu activity.

At that time, the only H1N1 vaccine available contained an adjuvant, a substance which boosts an individual's immune response.

While an adjuvant is common in other vaccines, there's limited data showing its effects on pregnant women. Because of that, the World Health Organization said pregnant women could wait for an unadjuvanted vaccine so long as there was no pandemic flu activity in their community.

At this point in time, whether they've been vaccinated or not, Cleary said all pregnant women should get a H1N1 flu shot immediately. In addition to the unadjuvanted vaccines for pregnant women, the Department of Health is going through its provincial supply of 11,000 adjuvanted doses for the week.

"Once our vaccine supply is used we'll be waiting for our next shipment which we hope will arrive by mid-next week," said Cleary.

It's still not known how much exactly New Brunswick will get in vaccine supply for next week, she said.

To date, more than 120,000 New Brunswickers have been vaccinated against H1N1 -- about 16 per cent of the population.

The supply of vaccine is still limited, and those with chronic diseases under the age of 65 (who were listed until last week as being top priority to get vaccinated) are still being asked not to show up at clinics to get a shot.

Cleary said more targeted approaches are still being worked out to reach those with chronic medical conditions. She said the Department of Health is working with provincial chronic disease specialists to develop immunization opportunities for these groups, which might include people being contacted directly in order to schedule a shot.

Cleary said the province is still determining whether children under the age of 10 need only one H1N1 flu shot for protection (as suggested recently by the World Health Organization), instead of the two shots currently being given as per policy in Canada.

"It merely acts as a booster to prolong and intensify the duration of immunity," Cleary said of the two shots, which can't be given less than 21 days apart.

"Across Canada we're looking at this question and we have not yet changed our recommendation. Although we will be receiving a recommendation hopefully very soon as to whether we can change it to one."

* For pandemic H1N1 flu information from the provincial government, call the Department of Health's toll-free flu hotline at 1-800-580-0038. The provincial government's flu website (www.gnb.ca/flu) also lists updated vaccination clinic schedules.