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OTTAWA — Hospitalizations for H1N1 are about three times higher this week than last, and approaching the levels reached in June, when the first wave of the pandemic was in full throttle.
“It will continue right through the winter ... it’s not slowing down,” warned Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada’s chief public health officer. “Nobody should be complacent about this.
“We expect to hear of more illness and deaths in the coming week.”
As he continued to urge Canadians to get the H1N1 vaccine, Butler-Jones shifted course slightly Thursday on recent advice to pregnant women. He said unadjuvanted vaccine — vaccine without a booster additive — is “preferred” for expectant moms.
That had been the original stance of Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, but recently, following advice from the World Health Organization, they had stressed that pregnant women could take the adjuvanted vaccine without risk.
Unadjuvanted vaccine from Australia is being made available in Canada this week, and Canadian manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline will ship 800,000 doses to the provinces next week.
NDP health critic Judy Wasylycia-Leis said Thursday’s message could be seen as “conflicting advice” to pregnant women, who might decide not to take anything.
“It’s going to make people wonder what’s safe.”
The bottom line, Butler-Jones said, is “we have confidence in both vaccines.” But currently, more safety data is available for unadjuvanted vaccines during pregnancy, he said.
In a week where hockey players and other professional athletes were reported to have jumped the queue for vaccine ahead of high-risk groups, Butler-Jones said 20% to 35% of Canadians will either be immunized or catch H1N1 this season.
Hockey players, he said, “are at no greater risk than anyone else ... unless they have underlying diabetes or another chronic condition that puts them at greater risk, but they too should follow the same guidelines and we will get there.”
The public health agency could not provide specific numbers of hospitalizations this week.
As of the last week of October, about 1,780 people had been hospitalized in Canada, 351 of those into intensive care. H1N1 has been a factor in more than 100 deaths in Canada.
christina.spencer@sunmedia.ca
“It will continue right through the winter ... it’s not slowing down,” warned Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada’s chief public health officer. “Nobody should be complacent about this.
“We expect to hear of more illness and deaths in the coming week.”
As he continued to urge Canadians to get the H1N1 vaccine, Butler-Jones shifted course slightly Thursday on recent advice to pregnant women. He said unadjuvanted vaccine — vaccine without a booster additive — is “preferred” for expectant moms.
That had been the original stance of Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, but recently, following advice from the World Health Organization, they had stressed that pregnant women could take the adjuvanted vaccine without risk.
Unadjuvanted vaccine from Australia is being made available in Canada this week, and Canadian manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline will ship 800,000 doses to the provinces next week.
NDP health critic Judy Wasylycia-Leis said Thursday’s message could be seen as “conflicting advice” to pregnant women, who might decide not to take anything.
“It’s going to make people wonder what’s safe.”
The bottom line, Butler-Jones said, is “we have confidence in both vaccines.” But currently, more safety data is available for unadjuvanted vaccines during pregnancy, he said.
In a week where hockey players and other professional athletes were reported to have jumped the queue for vaccine ahead of high-risk groups, Butler-Jones said 20% to 35% of Canadians will either be immunized or catch H1N1 this season.
Hockey players, he said, “are at no greater risk than anyone else ... unless they have underlying diabetes or another chronic condition that puts them at greater risk, but they too should follow the same guidelines and we will get there.”
The public health agency could not provide specific numbers of hospitalizations this week.
As of the last week of October, about 1,780 people had been hospitalized in Canada, 351 of those into intensive care. H1N1 has been a factor in more than 100 deaths in Canada.
christina.spencer@sunmedia.ca
