Sun Country Health region are following advise from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health and will be focusing flu immunisations on pregnant women and  children between the ages of 6 months and five years to ensure the limited supply does not run out.
 
The Ministry has been working hard to keep supplies up but the demand this year has been very high. The H1N1 strain has been predominant this year however other strains of flu and viruses are circulating , so no one can be sure of what virus they are suffering from.

Dr Shauna Hudson, Medical Health Officer for Sun Country Health region clarified some information about immunisations and the flu virus. Immunisation does not give you the flu and although some people find they get sick after being immunised, it takes 2 weeks for the the flu shot to work and at the same time that H1N1 is circulating, other viruses are circulating that are not covered by the flu shot. It is impossible to decipher what strain of the virus you have. 

People are advised to adopt preventative measures to avoid spreading the virus, by staying home, keeping surfaces clean, sneezing in your elbow, and washing hands frequently. Symptoms can be anything from coughing, sneezing, aching muscles, fever and shortness of breath. They can become very severe but for most people it is a mild illness and often passes after 2 or 3 days. Visitors to any health care facility that has not been immunized are encouraged to wear a mask to protect the vulnerable residents and can be obtained from the nursing staff at the entrance to these facilities. 
 
If you feel you have symptoms, you are asked to stay at home and avoid hospitals and long term care facilities. For symptoms that get worse very quickly or become very severe,patients are advised to consult their physician. 

If you are eligible for a vaccination you can to make an appointment at your local Public Health office. Public Health Nurses can be reached at the following numbers:

WEYBURN 842-8618
ESTEVAN  637-3626
KIPLING   736-2522
REDVERS 452-4020
CARLYLE  453-6131
CORONACH 267-5705 OR 869-2555
RADVILLE 869-2555
OXBOW   483-2313