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Elementary school students to be vaccinated |
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Tue, Nov 3, 2009 06:24 PM CST
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Saskatchewan Health is ramping up its' H1N1 vaccination plans.
Vaccination clinics for pregnant women and children under the age of five are currently being held in communities across the province.
But now that is being expanded. H1N1 vaccines will soon be offered to elementary school students from Kindergarten to Grade 6. Permission slips will be going home to parents over the next few days. Vaccinations could begin as soon as Friday.
Vaccination clinics in schools is something that is being done in parts of the United States, but Saskatchewan is believed to be the first province to make immunizing young children a priority.
Chief Medical Health Officer for Saskatchewan, Dr. Moira McKinnon, says the main reason are reports of a spike in child deaths due to H1N1 in the U.S., and Canadian statistics showing children under the age of 15 are five times more likely to be hospitalized if they contract the H1N1 virus than any other age group.
But the province is also concerned about its' supply of the H1N1 vaccine. Children only require half doses. So by targeting children, Saskatchewan Health is able to vaccinate twice as many people as it otherwise could. Though children receiving only half doses will likely need a booster shot in a few weeks.
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