By Ryan Kiedrowski

Vaccinations against the pandemic H1N1 flu are now being offered to anyone who desires the shot, regardless of age or risk factor. And while getting poked with a pointy stick is not a pleasant experience, but it may be just the thing that will save lives this flu season. Immunization clinics for the pandemic H1N1 influenza were held across the Cypress Health Region again last week with stops in Herbert, Ponteix, Shaunavon, Gull Lake, Vanguard, Abbey, and Maple Creek.

Bryce Martin, spokesperson for Cypress Health Region, says approximately 13,500 residents within the region have received the vaccination already, which leaves approximately 30,000 of the population yet to be inoculated.
Confirmed clinics this week will take place in Gull Lake today (Dec. 1) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Elk’s Hall and at Shaunavon Public School during the same time period. Clinics on Wednesday will be held in Fox Valley at the Community Hall from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and in Mankota at the Agricultural Hall from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday clinics will be held in Maple Creek at Sidney Street School from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and at Cabri School during the same time.
Leader is slated to host a clinic on Friday, but details were not available at press time, but clinic updates are available on the health region’s website at cypresshealth.ca.
Tentative clinics were also announced for Swift Current on Dec. 4; Hodgeville on Dec. 7; Swift Current and Shaunavon on Dec. 8; Frontier and Ponteix on Dec. 9; and Swift Current on Dec. 10.
The clinics are open to anyone desiring a flu shot and clinic hours are subject to how much vaccine is available and the vaccination is free. Previous clinics targeted groups such as health care workers, pregnant women, postpartum women up to four weeks, youth between the ages of six months and Grade 12, primary care givers to children under six months, people with underlying health issues and people that are immune compromised.

The Public Health Agency of Canada determined that health children between the ages of three and nine year will not require a second dose of the vaccine, but those with chronic illness or disease in the same age group are advised to make a second trip. Children aged six months to three years also need to come in for the second dose.
Since the first wave of the pandemic strain of the flu emerged in the spring, 11 people in the province have died. Health officials noted that in each case, underlying health conditions were present. While the vast majority of people in the province will only experience mild symptoms of the flu this year, an estimated 200,000 Saskatchewan residents could get sick this flu season.