Flu Shot H1N1 Flu Shot Pandemic

My 96 year old ‘Pop’ and I drove to Madeira Park to shop, do errands and to get our H1N1 flu shots, to protect ourselves from the pandemic. The receptionist at the local clinic assured me on Tuesday we could get the H1N1 shot on Thursday at the Legion. Perfect because I’m leaving for New York next week and will be exposed to thousands of people from around the world, at a conference, never mind the recirculated air on the airplane.

While shopping we heard from two different people that the H1N1 shots were only being given to First Nations, children and people under 65 with chronic illnesses. Surely at 96 they wouldn’t turn away Pop – would they? He’s had pneumonia a number of times and is getting weaker every year.

Yep, they refused to give it to him, so now we have to wait until mid November. I’m not very happy with this as I heard on the Victoria news last night that ‘no one would be refused’. I guess every city, municipality, village or community in BC runs under different rules because the Public Health Nurses were firm in their refusal. Apparently, if you are over 65 or you have no underlying health conditions you have immunities built up in your system (they told us). We were both given the regular flu shot, which we have every year.

So, now I’m confused… the news media in the USA and Canada is suggesting the H1N1 flu is spreading rapidly and becoming more severe. Apparently in Canada we have no shortage of the flu shot. So, why were we turned away? The flu clinic at the Legion certainly wasn’t overly busy. We waited perhaps 10 minutes for our regular flu shots, and right on the dot of 2pm the clinic nurses packed up and left.

Oh, and they were having a lunch break when we arrived at 12:30. The hours were 10:00 – 2:00. What’s up with that? In a 4 hour shift they take a lunch break??? I don’t get it

AND, I better not get it – the Hiney Flu that is!

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Whats the difference between bird flu & swine flu? Bird flu requires tweetment, swine flu requires oinkment.