B.C. H1N1 clinics reopen Monday

While thousands of people across the countrywaited inlong lineups to get the H1N1 flushot Saturday, B.C.'s swine flu vaccination clinics were closed over the weekend.

In Toronto, an estimated 200 people an hour were being immunized Saturday, and clinics in Calgary and Edmonton were so overwhelmed with patients, they were forced to turn people away.

However,all of B.C. H1N1 vaccination clinics were closedover the weekend.

"We thought that we would be in the best position to open our mass clinics on Monday because we are receiving our next large shipment Monday morning," said Dr. Elizabeth Brodkin, the medical health officer for the Fraser Health Authority.

"Before we open our clinic we wanted to make sure we had enough vaccine and we don't run into that unpleasant scenario and, you know, say, 'Please go away and you've wasted all your time in line,'" she said.

A total of 12 deaths in B.C. have been linked to the H1N1 influenza, and more than 200patients have been hospitalized.

"We've seen the H1N1 virus has been increasing dramatically in B.C. in the last few weeks," said Patricia Daly, the chief medical health officer for Vancouver Coastal Health.

"We've been leading the country in the second wave in activity and we know we're in a race against the virus, and the only way we can stop it is to get people immunized."

Throughout Metro Vancouver, thousands lined up during the first week of immunization, targeting those in high-risk groups.

Starting Monday, the people eligible to receive the H1N1 vaccine will expand to include the following groups:

• All initial groups.
• Children six months to less than five years of age.
• Health-care workers (including all health-care system workers involved with the pandemic response or delivery of essential health services).
• Those who live with or care for infants under six monthsold and those who live with or care for immune-compromised persons.

There likelywon't be enough H1NI swine flu vaccines to inoculate allBritish Columbians until late November or December, health officials at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control said Friday.