The City of Hamilton Public Health Services has received a limited amount of H1N1 vaccine without adjuvant for pregnant women. Pregnant women who wish to receive the H1N1 vaccine without adjuvant will be able to get it starting tomorrow at all four of Public Health Services H1N1 clinic sites.

“This is good news for those pregnant women who wish to get the unadjuvanted vaccine now that it is available,” said Dr. Chris Mackie, Hamilton’s Associate Medical Officer of Health.  

Public Health also plans to provide the unadjuvanted vaccine to hospital maternity wards by the end of the week.

The four vaccine clinic sites located across the city will continue to operate from 1pm to 7pm on Thursday and Friday:

• Dundas Baptist Church, 20 Governors Road, Dundas
• Jackson Square (beside the passport office), 2 King Street West, Hamilton
• Chedoke Twin Pad Arena, 91 Chedmac Drive, Hamilton
• St Helen’s Elementary School, 785 Britannia Avenue South, Hamilton

Public health vaccine clinics continue to remain limited to priority groups who are at highest risk of complications from H1N1 until more doses of vaccine have been sent by the province to the health department. Residents should be prepared to spend at least 30 minutes inside the clinic. Wait times in line vary however, the lines have been thinning out in the evenings to as little as 15 minutes. If people are unable to stand in line because of a medical issue, they are encouraged to speak with a staff member at the clinic when they arrive.

Priority groups eligible for the H1N1 vaccine include:

• people with chronic medical conditions under the age of 65;
• pregnant women;
• healthy children six months to under five years of age;
• health care workers involved in the pandemic response or who deliver essential health services; and
• household contacts and caregivers of individuals who are at high risk and cannot be immunized (such as infants under six months of age or people with weakened immune systems).

Based on vaccine availability, clinics schedules may change and priority groups may change.  Please visit www.hamilton.ca/H1N1 or call  the H1N1 hotline at 905-546-H1N1 (4161) for the most current clinic locations, dates and times.  

For the latest information about pandemic H1N1 Influenza A, visit Public Health Services website at www.hamilton.ca/H1N1 or call 905-546-H1N1 (4161).  The volume of calls to the H1N1 hotline has been high. Basic information is being provided quickly but if your inquiry is complex, you will be forwarded to a secondary line and a public health nurse will return your call as soon as possible.  All questions will be answered by telephone or email and the website is continually updated to help answer frequently asked questions.