Central Health Revises schedule and criteria for high risk vaccinations Limited vaccine behind the change JANINE DAVIDGE Advertiser

Those considered among the highest risk, lined up at the Beaumont Hamel Armoury in Grand Falls - Windsor all day Friday to receive vaccination against the H1N1 flu virus. Provincial health has now revised the high risk criteria of those who can get the vaccine.

Due to a limited supply of vaccine in the province the department of health announced this evening they would be revising their eligibility requirements for people in the high-risk category receiving the H1N1 vaccine. They also warned the new criteria would be strictly enforced.

Those at high risk and able to receive the vaccinations now have been reduced to Children six months to under five years of age, children five years of age up to young adults 24 years with chronic conditions, and pregnant women in the second half of their pregnancy.

“We received information late today from the federal government advising that our vaccine allocation for the coming week would be much less than anticipated, said the Minister of Health and Community Services, Jerome Kennedy Friday evening. “Based on this we have had to reduce the high-risk groups targeted for clinics for the coming week to ensure that the limited amount of vaccine we have available is offered to those who need it most. Ethically this is the right thing to do.”

Central Health has established additional locations for immunization clinics beginning as early as Saturday in some areas. From 9:30 to 6:30 vaccinations will continue Saturday, Oct.31 at the Beaummont Hamel Armoury in Grand Falls - Windsor. From 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. mass immunization clinics are scheduled for Saturday in Glovertown at the Pentecostal Church, in Twillingate at the Central United Church and Christian Education Centre, in St. Brendan’s at the Public Health Nursing Office, in Botwood at the Roman Catholic Church Hall, in Baie Verte at Baie Verte Collegiate, Saturday and Sunday in Fogo Island at Fogo Island Central Academy. Sunday and Monday in Change Islands and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Buchans at Lakeside Academy.

Minister Kennedy said the province is not expected to receive more vaccine until Wednesday.