The town's flu vaccination clinic at the Sundre Community Centre will be open this month following the province's decision last week to reinstate the use of the Agriflu influenza vaccine.
The drop-in clinic at the centre will be open to the public on Nov. 22 and 23 from noon until 6 p.m.
On Oct 31, Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne announced the province is resuming use of the Agriflu influenza vaccine following news that Health Canada had lifted its suspension of Novartis flu vaccine, along with Fluad.
The province suspended the use of the vaccine on Oct. 27 until a safety review by Health Canada and the vaccine manufacturer Novartis could be completed. Novartis is supplying 20 per cent of Canada's total flu vaccine supply in 2012.
The federal suspension was a precautionary measure following a voluntary suspension of the Agriflu vaccine in Europe after white particulate matter was found floating in one batch of the vaccine.
“The Health Canada review has re-confirmed that the Agriflu vaccine is safe and effective to use as part of our influenza immunization program,” said Dr. Martin Lavoie, Alberta's deputy chief medical officer of health in a press release. “We have been assured by federal officials that the suspension of the vaccine was the result of one batch of vaccine that contained protein flakes and that this batch never left the manufacturing plant. Now that the suspension has been lifted, we can make the Agriflu vaccine available through public health clinics, physicians and pharmacists.”
Agriflu is one of two injectable vaccines offered through the province's influenza immunization campaign this year in addition to a nasal spray vaccine available for children between the ages of two and 17. It makes up about 22 per cent of Alberta's total vaccine supply.
As of Oct. 27, 249,659 doses of influenza vaccine have been administered to the public by Alberta Health Services (AHS) personnel across the province, said Heather Kipling, communications adviser for AHS's Central Zone, which includes the communities of Sundre, Olds and Innisfail. Didsbury and Carstairs are in AHS's Calgary zone.
She said of the total doses, 27,493 have been administered in the Central Zone, which includes Sundre. Kipling added figures for each community were not available.
“It is important to note though that this data doesn't reflect the doses administered via pharmacists or physician offices,” said Kipling.
She said vaccine partners (pharmacists or physicians) report data only twice per influenza season, in December and March. “As such, partner data is not available at this time,” said Kipling.
Sundre and area residents can contact HEALTHLink Alberta at 1-866-408-5465 for more information on Alberta Health Services immunization clinics, or visit www.albertahealthservices.ca.
“It's important that all Albertans get the flu shot, not only to protect themselves but others in their family and their community who may be vulnerable to severe complications from the flu,” said Horne in a media release. “I strongly encourage everyone to take the time to get immunized as soon as possible so more Albertans can stay healthy this year.”
