Saskatchewan Ministry of Health will be providing influenza vaccine for all Saskatchewan residents during the 2011-2012 campaign. Beginning on Tuesday October 11, 2011, subject to availability from supplier, influenza vaccine will be made available through Public Health clinics throughout Saskatchewan.

Influenza vaccine will continue to be made available through regional public health offices to those physician offices that routinely offer influenza vaccine to their patients.

The publicly funded vaccine will be an intramuscular delivered product. There are other vaccine options available (such as intradermal, intranasal) that will not be delivered through Public Health.

High risk groups and their contacts are recommended to receive the influenza vaccine early. See risk groups.

As in previous years Saskatchewan Ministry of Health will not be reimbursing individuals or businesses for influenza vaccine purchased privately.

Antiviral medications are not currently listed on the Saskatchewan Formulary. Future decisions regarding coverage of antivirals will be based on influenza epidemiology, risk of severe illness, degree of mismatch between vaccine and circulating strains, influenza antiviral drug resistant strain profile and clinical guidance available at that time.

For information on flu clinics, residents can contact their local public health office, physician or regional health authority or call HealthLine at 1-877-800-0002. Updated information on clinics is also available through the websites of regional health authorities. For local health services, see the Green Pages in your phone book.

• Influenza is a contagious viral disease of the respiratory system.
• Influenza is spread by coughing, sneezing or direct contact with respiratory secretions.
• Symptoms of influenza include sudden onset of fever and cough, with chills and muscle aches. 
• In most cases, influenza is a self-limiting illness that may result in being home sick for a few days.
• Influenza can result in hospitalization and death, especially in very young children, the elderly and those with serious underlying health conditions.

• Get the vaccine every year, especially if you are in a high risk group as noted below.
• Stay home when you feel sick.
• Practice good hygiene:
  • Frequent hand washing with soap and water.
  • Cough or sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue (throw tissue away after use).
  • Clean and disinfect all surfaces regularly.
• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer gel to clean your hands if soap and water are not available.

Every Saskatchewan resident is eligible to receive a free seasonal influenza immunization.

Influenza vaccine is highly recommended for:

• Persons with a chronic health condition including but not limited to:
  • lung and heart disease
  • asthma
  • diabetes
  • neurological conditions
  • cancer
  • kidney disease
  • children on long term aspirin therapy
  • adults 65 years of age and older.
  • pregnant women in all trimesters.
  • children from 6 months to 23 months of age (under 2 years).
  • persons with severe obesity.
  • residents of a nursing home or other care facility.

NOTE: Children under 9 years of age require two vaccine doses one month apart, if they have not previously received an influenza immunization.

Groups recommended for immunization to protect those at high risk include:

• Household and close contacts of persons who are in the risk groups mentioned above.
• Household and close contacts of infants less than 6 months of age.
• Members of households expecting newborns.
• Child and daycare workers who provide care to children up to 2 years of age.
• All health care workers and volunteers.
• Persons who work with poultry or hogs.
• Health sciences students (human and animal).

A mild recent illness, with or without fever, is not a reason to avoid immunization.

• Infants younger than 6 months of age.
• Persons with a past history of a severe allergic reaction to a previous influenza immunization or any component of an influenza vaccine should discuss their situation with a public health nurse, their physician or nurse practitioner.
• Persons who developed Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), (a neurological disorder) within 8 weeks of a previous influenza immunization.

• Antibody protection usually begins within 2 weeks after immunization in the majority of healthy children and adults.
• Immunization prevents influenza illness in about 70% of healthy children and adults.
• Effectiveness varies depending on the age and the immune response of the person being immunized, and the match between the vaccine strains and the influenza strains circulating in the community.
• Studies involving long-term care residents have shown influenza vaccine to be 50-60% effective in preventing hospitalizations and up to 85% in preventing deaths.

Vaccines are very safe. It is much safer to get the vaccine than to get influenza.

These reactions are mild and generally last 1-2 days:

• Soreness, warmth, redness, and swelling at the injection site.
• Temporary limited movement of the immunized arm or leg.
• Headache, fever, tiredness, muscle aches, and chills.
• Loss of appetite.

• Oculorespiratory syndrome (ORS) has been reported in past influenza seasons. Tell your public health nurse, physician or nurse practitioner if you have experienced red eyes, respiratory problems (difficulty breathing, cough, wheeze, chest tightness, sore throat) and/or facial swelling following a previous influenza immunization.
• Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) may occur in about 1 in a million people - a clear link to influenza vaccine has not been established.
• It is important to stay in the clinic for 15 minutes after getting any vaccine because there is an extremely rare possibility of a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. This may include hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the throat, tongue or lips. This reaction can be treated, and occurs in less than one in one million people who get the vaccine. If this happens after you leave the clinic, call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

• Report any adverse or unexpected reactions to your local public health nurse or your doctor as soon as possible.

Talk to your public health nurse if:

• You have questions or concerns about your or your child's reaction to an immunization.
• You or your child had to go to a doctor, hospital or health centre with an illness that might be related to an immunization.

Three brands of inactivated influenza vaccines are available for free this year:

• Agriflu^TM is used for the general public, and is latex and thimerosal free. It contains surface antigens of this season's circulating influenza virus strains, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, disodium phosphate dehydrate, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, and traces of formaldehyde, kanamycin, neomycin, and egg proteins.
• FLUVIRAL® is used for the general public, and is latex free. It contains surface antigens of this season's circulating influenza virus strains, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, disodium hydrogen phosphate heptahydrate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, thimerosal, and trace amounts of egg proteins, formaldehyde, sodium deoxycholate and sucrose.
• Fluad® is only for residents 65 years and older living in long-term care facilities, and is latex and thimerosal free. It contains surface antigens of this season's circulating influenza virus strains, MF59C.1 adjuvant, squalene, polysorbate 80, sorbitan trioleate, sodium citrate, citric acid, and traces of formaldehyde, kanamycin, neomycin, and egg proteins.

Your immunization information will be recorded in a computerized system known as the Saskatchewan Immunization Management System (SIMS). Information collected in SIMS may be used to:

• manage immunization records,
• notify you if you or your child needs an immunization,
• and monitor how well vaccines work in preventing vaccine preventable diseases.

Your immunization records may also be shared with health care professionals in order to provide public health services; assist with diagnosis and treatment; and to control the spread of vaccine preventable diseases.

For more information contact:
your local public health office,
OR your physician,
OR the HealthLine at 1-877-800-0002