More Flu Deaths, More Flu Clinics

Three more flu immunization clinics are being held this week in Swift Current due to the staggering statistics that are coming out of our province.

As of January 24th of this year our province is reporting a total of 1,102 confirmed cases of influenza.

"We've had 57 total patients requiring intensive levels of care which is quite significant. Now we have a total of 16 deaths. We're actually getting some figures that are close to what we had during the pandemic. This is pretty comparative to that and shows how important this infection is right now," said consulting medical health officer Dr. David Torr.

The province recently received a 3500 doses of the Flu Mist nasal spray which will be available at the clinics along with the injectable vaccine.

"We want to get as many people vaccinated so as to minimize anymore illness going on in the community. We've arranged a whole extra number of clinics to address this and so I'm really encouraging people really get your flu shots. We have a big stock of the nasal mist but at the same time we have a little bit of the injection for those who can't get the mist," said Dr. Torr.

Starting Monday, free drop-in flu clinics will be offered at the Swift Current Mall weekdays from 1:00pm to 8:00pm and Saturdays from 9:00am to 4:00pm. The regular scheduled drop-in child health clinic that occurs on Mondays at the E.I. Wood Building has been cancelled for today as the nursing staff is providing their services at the mall.

Dr. Torr mentions that they are holding their flu clinics at odd hours to accommodate busy and working people.

"Interestingly enough, statistics more males are being affected than females right from the deaths to the intensive care cased to the laboratory cases. So and a lot of these cases are non immunized. Some of them have other health conditions but we're seeing a lot of males rather than females. And maybe its a factor of they're at work, more reluctant to get needles, scared of needles, I don't know. But men out there, let's pick up and get ourselves immunized because we have a disproportion. I mean we want the whole population as much as possible though," said Dr. Torr.

There will also be clinics in Leader Monday from 10:00am to 5:00pm at the Community Hall and again on February 4 from 10:00 to 5:00pm at the Leader Friendship Centre, in Shaunavon at the Hospital from 10:00am to 4:00pm on Saturday, and in Maple Creek Tuesday and again Wednesday, February 5, from 10:00 to 5:00pm.