CBC.ca

Ottawa adds extra weekend H1N1 vaccine clinics

Fri Nov 20, 7:30 PM

OTTAWA (CBC) - Ottawa Public Health will open two additional H1N1 vaccination clinics this weekend to provide the public with more opportunities to get the swine flu vaccine.

A clinic will be held at the Ottawa Hospital's Riverside campus at 1967 Riverside Dr. on Saturday and Sunday between 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., but will have a limited number of shots available. No other hospital sites or emergency rooms will offer public vaccinations.

A one-day roving clinic will also be held on Saturday at the Cyrville Community Centre on 4355 Halmont Dr. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The clinics will be offering a vaccine against the H1N1 influenza A virus that causes swine flu

All city-run vaccination clinics are now open to the general public. However health officials have said that pregnant women, health care workers, people with chronic health problems or disabilities and children receiving a second dose of vaccine can present themselves to clinic staff and will be given priority so they don't have to wait in line.

Ottawa's six H1N1 vaccination clinics reached their capacity and began turning away patients by mid-morning on Friday.

At 11 a.m., Ottawa Public Health said all clinics had stopped distributing wristbands for vaccinations later in the day, however the health department's Twitter feed suggested that openings might become available for walk-in clients.

Ottawa's vaccination clinics reopened on Wednesday, after being closed for five days due to a shortage of vaccine. Health officials said the city now has a steady stream of swine flu vaccine, having received 100,000 doses from the province this week.

Meanwhile, the Outaouais health department has reported another death linked to the H1N1 virus.

A 58-year-old woman with underlying health conditions died Thursday after being in intensive care for several days.

Six people in the Outaouais have died since September of H1N1-related illnesses. Twenty-three people are currently in hospital in west Quebec with the virus.