CTV News Montreal

Updated: Mon Nov. 09 2009 6:34:27 PM

ctvmontreal.ca

It's the third week of the H1N1 vaccination campaign, and new groups are moving to the front of the line, ahead of schedule.

People under 65 years of age with chronic conditions are now eligible to receive their H1N1 shots. The change took effect on Sunday in Montreal and Laval, and on Monday in the Monteregie region.

Chronic illnesses include cardiac illness, chronic lung illnesses (including asthma and cystic fibrosis), diabetes and other metabolic illnesses, and kidney, liver and blood diseases.

Children with chronic illnesses were scheduled to begin receiving treating as of Nov. 16; those 18 to 65 were scheduled to begin on Nov. 23.

Flu death in Laval

A 26-year-old Laval man died Sunday at Cite de la Sante hospital from complications related to the H1N1 virus.

The man had a serious underlying health condition.

He is the 10th Quebecer to die from the H1N1 virus, and the first in the Laval region.

Vaccinations at the Big O

Hundreds of people lined up for flu vaccinations at the Olympic Stadium Monday morning.

The Big O is the latest vaccination centre to open in Montreal, and it's the biggest in Quebec.

People with chronic conditions were among the first to be vaccinated.

"I had cancer before so I need to be here today," one man told CTV News.

A woman with asthma said she was playing it safe.

"I was worried because there's a lady who died who had asthma too, so that's why I came as soon as I could."

Among the people who showed up to be vaccinated was 62-year-old Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe, who has asthma.

About one million Quebecers have received the swine flu vaccine so far this fall.

Low turnout

The schedule has been bumped up after a low turnout at vaccination sites over the weekend.

For example, on Saturday the vaccination centre at Place Alexis Nihon was prepared to vaccinated between 3000 and 4000 people - but fewer than 800 people showed up.

Health-care workers at the centre began offering the H1N1 shot to anyone who showed up, even if they weren't on a priority list.

"When I came to the head of the line to inquire they said 'You can do it right now,' and just handed me a ticket and here I am - looks like the line is only going to be 40 minutes," Dennis Turner told CTV News.

Montreal public health officials said the dwindling numbers are worrisome, but they are confident that the situation will improve.

"(We) don't expect too many vaccines this week and next week, but we expect more on the following week," said Dr. Richard Lessard, the director of Montreal's public health agency.

Seniors

H1N1 vaccinations will also be given in seniors' residences across Quebec, Health Minister Yves Bolduc announced on Sunday.

All private and public residences for the elderly will receive visits from nurses and doctors, so that people with reduced mobility won't be forced to travel to vaccination sites and wait in lines.

There are about 85,000 people living in private residences, and 40,000 in public homes across the province.

Pregnant women

At the same time, the non-adjuvanted H1N1 vaccine has been rolled out across the province, and is available at all vaccination centres across Montreal. The vaccine without adjuvant has been recommended for pregnant women, because the adjuvanted vaccine has not yet been tested for its effect on expectant mothers.

Vaccination sites

At this time, the vaccine is available to children 6 months to 5-years-old, pregnant women (who may receive the vaccine with or without the adjuvant), and the parents and siblings of children under 6 months.

Vaccinations are available at the following sites:

Open 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Nov. 6 to 15

• Lachine General Hospital - 3320 Notre Dame St.
• Alexis-Nihon Plaza, corner Atwater & Ste-Catherine
• Carrefour Angrignon - 7077 Newman Blvd.
• Patro Le Prévost Community Centre - 7355 Christophe-Colomb Ave.
• St-Laurent Leisure Centre - 1375 Grenet St.
• Southwest Physergo medical clinic - 5260 Verdun Rd.
• CLSC Plateau-Mont-Royal - 4625 De Lorimier Ave.
• Collège Reine-Marie - 9300 Saint-Michel Blvd.
• Allancroft School - 265 Allancroft Rd.
• Frédérick-Banting School - 11135 Alfred Ave.
• Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital - 7070 Perras Blvd.
• Cavendish Mall - 5800 Cavendish Blvd.
• Théâtre du Quartier - 3990 Notre-Dame St. W

Open Nov. 6, 7, 8 only:

• CLSC Hochelaga-Maisonneuve - 4201 Ontario St.

Open Nov. 9:

• Olympic Stadium - 4545 Pierre-de-Courbertin St.

Open 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., beginning Nov. 16

• Lachine General Hospital - 3320 Notre Dame St.
• Carrefour Angrignon - 7077 Newman Blvd.
• Patro Le Prévost Community Centre - 7355 Christophe-Colomb Ave.
• St-Laurent Leisure Centre - 1375 Grenet St.
• Southwest Physergo medical clinic - 5260 Verdun Rd.
• CLSC Plateau-Mont-Royal - 4625 De Lorimier Ave.
• Edouard-Rivet Recreation Centre - 11111 Notre-Dame St. E
• Collège Reine-Marie - 9300 Saint-Michel Blvd.
• Allancroft School - 265 Allancroft Rd.
• Frédérick-Banting School - 11135 Alfred Ave.
• Spring Garden Elementary School - 175 Sonata Ave.
• Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital - 7070 Perras Blvd.
• Cavendish Mall - 5800 Cavendish Blvd.
• Palais des congrès - 1001 Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle
• Olympic Stadium - 4545 Pierre-de-Coubertin St.
• Théâtre du Quartier - 3990 Notre-Dame St. W
• Open Saturdays and Sundays only, beginning Nov. 21
• Collège Mont-Saint-Louis - 1700 Henri-Bourassa Blvd. E

Laval plans

In Laval, people can get vaccinated at the following location:

• 2228 des Laurentides Blvd. (Old Canadian Tire)

Opening hours are as follows:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Saturday & Sunday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (CLOSED ON WEDNESDAY)

Dates are as follows:

Nov. 5-10 & Nov. 12-14 :

• People under 65 suffering from a chronic illness
• People in contact with children under 6 months
• Pregnant women

Nov. 15-17 & Nov. 19-21

• Children from 6 months to 9 years, and their immediate families
• People in contact with those who are immune deficient

Nov. 22-24 & Nov. 26-28

• Youths aged 10-18 and their guardians
• People aged 65 or older

Nov. 29-30, Dec. 1 & Dec. 3-5

• Open to all

Please Add Comments

Fredo
This is the pandemic! I don't how people are rushing to get this very unsafe vaccine... Remember in 75-76 when it was deemed urgent and obligatory, many people died and many developed quite the spectrum of diseases. The swine flu is weaker than the regular flu, statistically speaking - 850,000 thousand die every year from influenza... IMHO, this is only a big pharma stunt to sell vaccines that were barely tested and instill fear in people. That's sickening!

Stavroula
Enough already!!!

Can we move on to something else?

Come on, please don't act all surprised. SINCE WHEN HAS THE GOUVERNEMENT EVER DONE ANYTHING RIGHT?!

I wonder if the politicians have to wait in line? (Just a thought...)

Natasha Elavia
Wake up people ... The woman may well have died from a neurological cytokine storm induced by the vaccine. How is that she was fine two days before but within 48 hours got the flu so badly that she instantly succumbed. In Sweden, there have been a number of such instances but our pharma-coddling,research-challenged media and monopoly medicine authorites invariably brush off such obvious links as "coincidence" - yet they have the gall to attribute deaths to the H1N1 which have not even been lab confirmed! They ASSUME that it's H1N1. Ridiculous, a CBS News report released October 21st showed that H1N1 is being grossly exaggerated based on actual lab confirmations.

b
the info still isn't clear... this morning an ad on CJAD said "children 6mos to 5 yrs AND THEIR FAMILIES" does this mean parents and siblings of children under 5 can get vaccinated at the same time? because that's not what is being told to citizens who present to vaccination centres! perhaps they should have a standardized written protocol that all vaccine centre staff should read!!!

c
i'm glad things changed and i'm glad that seniors over 65 can get the shot in their residence, although i think they should have been included today, but i'm still wondering why children have to wait so long. i know there are others who are priority but as a mother of a 5 year old, i'm worried to death about this whole thing and just can't wait to get him vaccinated.

Bob
So those of us older that 65 are relegated to the scrap heap as far as far as the Montreal Public Health Department cares. They can take their H1N1 flu shot and put it where the sun does not shine.

Natasha Elavia
Wake up people ... The woman may well have died from a neurological cytokine storm induced by the vaccine. How is that she was fine two days before but within 48 hours got the flu so badly that she instantly succumbed. In Sweden, there have been a number of such instances but our pharma-coddling,research-challenged media and monopoly medicine authorites invariably brush off such obvious links as "coincidence" - yet they have the gall to attribute deaths to the H1N1 which have not even been lab confirmed! They ASSUME that it's H1N1. Ridiculous, a CBS News report released October 21st showed that H1N1 is being grossly exaggerated based on actual lab confirmations.

b
the info still isn't clear... this morning an ad on CJAD said "children 6mos to 5 yrs AND THEIR FAMILIES" does this mean parents and siblings of children under 5 can get vaccinated at the same time? because that's not what is being told to citizens who present to vaccination centres! perhaps they should have a standardized written protocol that all vaccine centre staff should read!!!

Rachelle
I just went tonight in the st laurent area and I went around 730pm and I went in right away I waited no more then 10 min

c
i'm glad things changed and i'm glad that seniors over 65 can get the shot in their residence, although i think they should have been included today, but i'm still wondering why children have to wait so long. i know there are others who are priority but as a mother of a 5 year old, i'm worried to death about this whole thing and just can't wait to get him vaccinated.

Franca Pepi
I picked up a senior (88 years old) at his apt. in his residence, I brought him for his flu shot. He has emphysema. There was no line up, hardly anyone there. A lady intercepted and said, no, he cannot get his shot. We only give it to people up to age 65. I think that is disgusting. He is in a residence with quite a few people his age and many of them not well and since he has emphysema and since there was hardly anyone there (it was today, Sunday) she could have bent the rule a little.

This whole swine flu shot operation is disgusting.

I volunteer in another residence and because of my volunteering, I received the shot last week. Granted I am an asthmatic, but I am 52 and I still feel that he should have received it also.

THIS IS OUR GOVERNMENT, THESE ARE OUR CSSS PEOPLE!!!!!!! I AM NOT IMPRESSED AT ALL.

Actually, when I went for the flu shot, the nurse looked at the paper I filled and then she said o.k. go wait for 15 minutes in the waiting area. I said, sitting in the chair, but you haven't given me the shot yet, and then of course we both laughed.

Thank God, I question, cause I probably would have gone to wait for 15 minutes, not knowing why and then would have had a whole bunch of other people get their shot before me.

ANYHOW, THAT CAN BE A LEGITIMATE MISTAKE, AND SHE COULD HAVE BEEN TIRED, DISTRACTED, ETC. BUT WHEN I GET A SHOT LIKE THAT, I AM ALREADY NERVOUS TO BEGIN WITH!!!!!!!

Bob
So those of us older that 65 are relegated to the scrap heap as far as far as the Montreal Public Health Department cares. They can take their H1N1 flu shot and put it where the sun does not shine.