December 8, 2009: Influenza vaccine update

To: Primary Care Providers and Alternate Delivery Agents

From: Dr. Isra Levy, Medical Officer of Health; Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, President, Academy of Medicine Ottawa; Dr. Nadine Sicard, Associate Medical Officer of Health; Dr. Vera Etches, Associate Medical Officer of Health

Last week for OPH H1N1 mass vaccination clinics

After serving well over 200,000 residents, all Ottawa Public Health (OPH) fixed mass vaccination clinic sites will be closed at the end of the day, Saturday, December 12, 2009.

Starting next week, OPH will operate reduced numbers of vaccine access points to provide both the pH1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines in the coming weeks. The first schedule of these clinics will be announced later this week and will be on our website, ottawa.ca/health.

Ottawa Public Health has distributed over 400,000 doses of the pH1N1 vaccine into our community, enough vaccine for 47 per cent of the population, so patients are able to access both seasonal and pH1N1 vaccines in many local doctors’ offices, community health centres, workplaces, and post-secondary campuses over the next few weeks. We continue to strive for the target of 70% coverage with the H1N1 vaccine in Ottawa.

Even though the second wave of the virus has passed in Ottawa, OPH and its community partners will continue managing the pandemic and vaccination strategy, as the pH1N1 virus will remain in the community in the foreseeable future. OPH is strongly recommending the pH1N1 vaccine and seasonal influenza vaccine for all who remain unprotected. We thank you for your ongoing support, engagement and collaboration with the influenza vaccines programs this year, both pandemic and seasonal.

Ordering influenza vaccines for your patients

OPH continues to encourage physicians who wish to deliver the pandemic vaccine (adjuvanted or unadjuvanted) to their patients to fax in an Ottawa Public Health Pandemic H1N1 Vaccine Order Form- 2009 to the OPH Vaccine Distribution Office at 613-580-2783. This vaccine order form was sent to physicians or can be obtained at ottawa.ca/health. The only data reporting requirement for physicians delivering the pH1N1 vaccine is to fax or email a weekly report (every Monday) on the total number of doses given, using the attached form.

OPH looks forward to filling your requests for seasonal influenza vaccine through the usual process (order form also available at ottawa.ca/health). We continue to aim for 90% coverage for groups at high risk of complications from seasonal flu (seniors, persons with chronic conditions, young children, pregnant women and the persons that care for and live with them, including health care workers).

If you have any questions regarding your vaccine order, please call the Vaccine Distribution Office at 613-580-6744, ext. 23738.

Best Holiday Wishes from the Medical Team at OPH and The Academy.