Swine flu vaccination program begins in N.L.

Newfoundland and Labrador's Health Department began its swine flu vaccination program Monday morning.

Health-care workers were being offered the shots at special clinics that have been set up throughout the province.

The program for the public begins next Monday.

Eastern Health, the province's largest health board, responsible for services from St. John's to Bonavista on the northeast coast and Grand Bank on the south coast, expects to vaccinate up to 1,000 employees and volunteers on Monday alone.

Immunization teams have been set up at some hospitals and nursing homes.

Sonya Stanford, Eastern Health's acting director of occupational health and safety, said this week's efforts will go beyond people who are directly employed by the health board.

"We actually have extended the invitation to other health-care workers in our region including … our volunteers, our students, our private ambulance operators, our community physicians and their clerical support, and employees of the Canadian Blood Services," she said.

"So, in total, there's probably 13,000 people over a two-week period that will have to be vaccinated."

Some hospitals in the province are taking other measures against the H1N1 virus.

Western Memorial in Corner Brook is banning most visitors because of the number of patients with flu-like symptoms.

The health centre in Springdale did the same last week.