Brock battles H1N1 as flu season rolls in

Just as predicted, the H1N1 influenza is picking up steam as the traditional flu-season begins to kick in and people become more suspectible to illness.
New cases of the flu were higher than in weeks past across the province. There are now nearly 6,000 confirmed cases of the flu in Ontario. Of those, 163 are confirmed in the Niagara Region, 44 more than last week.
Of the 435,000 people that make up the population of the Niagara Region, two have succumb to the illness, both of whom had underlying medical conditions unrelated to H1N1.
Flu immunization clinics are being scheduled almost daily across the province as vaccine inventories become more clear. Thus far, only those specified as priority groups by the province have been eligible to receive the shot. Originally, it was believed that the priority groups will be expanded or removed in the next few weeks, making the shot available to all citizens, however that scenario is now beginning to look unlikely.
According to the Brock Web site, over 1,100 vaccinations were given at the flu-shot clinic held at Brock on Nov. 3, about one-third of whom were members of the Brock community. Another clinic is expected to be held at the university next week.
Debate about whether or not the shot is safe has been sparked in the media, however, according to Brock medical director Dr. Darrell Grant, the shot is safe.
"If and when the vaccine becomes available to the general public, I strongly advise all students to take advantage of it. Any student with any medical condition now, particularly asthma, is certainly welcome to get the vaccine now if they haven't already."
Shortages of the vaccine have been reported in some areas of the province, such as Peel Region, however that does not seem to be a concern here in Niagara. At a clinic at the Niagara Region Headquarters building across from Brock on Nov. 9, those looking for vaccinations were coming in at a trickle, suggesting that any member of the priority groups who has wanted to get the shot has already been vaccinated.
Other parts of Ontario have not been so lucky. Dr. Isra Levy, Canada's chief medical officer, has said that there is a very real possibility that clinics across the country will be forced to close for up to 10 days as current inventories dwindle and shipments of the vaccine come to a halt.
"The problem is the province hasn't heard from the federal government when the flow [of vaccine] will be turned on again, so we can't ask the province for it," Levy told reporters. "We rarely know more than a day or two ahead of time."
The Brock community has not been immune from H1N1. According to Grant, the number of students coming into the clinic is "above average". In fact, Health Services has been so busy over the past few weeks that Grant has been forced to make himself available during periods regularly scheduled as administration hours simply to keep up with the steady inflow of patients.
However Grant says it isn't all bad news for Brock.
"Looking at the 'Got Flu' tracking system the university has, I am cautiously optimistic that our numbers may have peaked last week - the next few days will tell," Grant said. "That's not to say that we have seen a big decline and we are out of the woods but the numbers on a week by week basis over the last couple of days seem to be coming down a little bit and that seems to jive with what I'm hearing from other doctors in the community.
It is my hope that we may have actually peaked last week."
If you are part of a priority group and have not yet received the H1N1 vaccination, a flu-shot clinic is being held at the Niagara Region Headquarters building at 2201 St. David's Road from Nov. 10-13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.