H1N1 shots start early in Quebec region

An outbreak of swine flu at a high school in Trois-Pistoles, Que., prompted officials in the province's Bas-Saint-Laurent region to begin vaccinations Saturday, two days ahead of schedule.

Thirteen of 16 samples from students attending Arc-en-Ciel in Trois-Pistoles reveal the presence of the H1N1 virus. The community of 3,600 people is about 250 kilometres east of Quebec City.

Beginning Monday, the H1N1 influenza vaccine will be available across most of Canada to health-care workers and people considered to be at a higher risk for complications from the respiratory illness.

They include individuals under 65 years of age with chronic medical conditions, pregnant women and people living in First Nations or remote and isolated communities.

New Brunswick took the lead on the rollout of the immunization program last Wednesday when it began giving shots to some health-care workers assigned to administer the vaccination to the public.

All the provinces are launching ad campaigns in the coming week with details of when and where clinics will be held for the general public. Many health units have chosen Nov. 2 or the following day to begin administering H1N1 shots broadly.

In related news out of Washington, the White House announced Saturday that President Barack Obama has signed a proclamation declaring swine flu a national emergency.  

The declaration, signed late Friday, authorizes Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to bypass federal rules so health officials can respond more quickly to the outbreak, now blamed for more than 1,000 deaths in the U.S.

The illness, first reported last April, is reported to have caused nearly 5,000 deaths worldwide, including 86 in Canada.