Vaccine blitz London (Ontario) Free Press

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from http://www.canoe.ca/LondonNews/01n1.html

May 6, 2001

Vaccine blitz going 'flat out'

By Jane Sims -- Free Press

Reporter

The second phase of the largest

vaccination campaign in the area since the

1950s polio scare begins Wednesday when

thousands of youngsters are

immunized against meningococcal disease.

Within three weeks, nearly 100,000 young

people in London and Middlesex

County are expected to have been immunized

against a strain of the disease

that has hit five people since February.

Dr. Graham Pollett, Middlesex-London

medical officer of health, said staff

have been going " flat out " to prepare for

the mass vaccinations.

" Certainly within my career in public,

this is the largest I have ever been

involved with, " he said, comparing the

scope to the polio vaccine campaign.

About 70,000 people ages two to 24 who go

to school, live or work in

London or Middlesex are the targets of the

next phase of the program, in

addition to the 25,500 people ages 15 to 24

who were immunized last month.

A schedule has been posted on the area

health unit Web site at

www.healthunit.com, listing where people

can be vaccinated in the next three

weeks.

The listings are according to school

district. High school students will be

immunized during school hours. Elementary

students are grouped at sites near

their schools. All others can attend

clinics close to where they live or work.

Children younger than two can attend

special clinics in June with a vaccine

recently approved by Health Canada.

The expansion of the program was announced

after a four-month-old boy was

admitted to hospital Tuesday with a form of

the disease. His condition is

improving.

On Friday, the health unit received

confirmation the strain was the same as

one that struck four others earlier this

year.

The same strain prompted a mass campaign

recently in Quebec City. It is

possibly the same strain -- serogroup C --

responsible for a similar campaign

in Abbotsford, B.C., Pollett said.

Of those exposed to the bacteria, only a

very small proportion go on to

develop the serious form of the disease.

" We have no way of knowing who those

people are, " Pollett said. " The one

thing we can do to protect them is to

immunize as many people as possible and

in so doing catch them and reduce their

risk. "

While there is always a risk of

contracting meningococcal disease, the prime

time is in the late winter and early

spring, Pollett said.

" In our community, we are seeing ongoing

transmission and that's why we

want to expand our immunization program. "

Pollett asked that people attend the

clinic in their neighbourhood to avoid

lineups and waits.

The vaccine is " very safe, " he said. The

most common negative reaction is

soreness at the injection site and

sometimes redness. There were also a couple

of reports of hives.

Meningococcal disease is spread through

nose or throat secretions during

activities such as kissing, sharing food,

beverages, cigarettes, lipstick, musical

instruments with mouthpieces or

mouthguards. Coughing or sneezing directly at

another person can also spread the disease.

Symptoms include severe headache, a high

temperature, vomiting, sensitivity

to bright lights, neck stiffness,

drowsiness, confusion or coma and a rash of tiny

red-purple spots or bruises on any part of

the body.

IMMUNIZATION CLINICS

All two- to 24-year-olds who attend

school, live or work in London and

Middlesex County are eligible to receive

free meningococcal vaccine at

community clinics beginning Wednesday.

Children under two who live in London or

Middlesex County will be offered

a special vaccine in early June.

High school students, not previously

immunized, will be immunized at their

school during school hours.

Elementary school pupils will be immunized

at a designated time and clinic

close to where they attend school.

All other people who are eligible are

being asked to attend immunization

clinics close to where they live or work.

Clinics for children under two will be

announced soon.

For more information, call the health unit

at 663-5317, ext 2330, or check

out www.healthunit.com