Seasonal Flu Shots Halted in Canada

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Seasonal-flu shots halted in Canada

 

SEASONAL-FLU SHOTS HALTED IN CANADA

Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:01 AM

By Patrick White

 

TORONTO GLOBE AND MAIL

A " perplexing " Canadian study linking the H1N1 virus to seasonal-flu

shots is throwing the nation's influenza plans into disarray and

straining public faith in the government agencies responsible for

protecting Canada's health.

 

Distributed for peer review last week, the study confounded

infectious-disease experts in suggesting that people vaccinated

against seasonal flu are twice as likely to catch swine flu.

 

With the paper under review, its lead researchers must stay mum until

it's published. So far, the study's impact is confined to Canada.

Researchers in the United States, Britain and Australia have not

reported the same phenomenon.

 

Met with intense early skepticism both in Canada and abroad, the

paper has since persuaded several provincial health agencies to

announce hasty suspensions of seasonal-flu vaccinations, long-held

fixtures of public health planning.

 

" It has confused things very badly, " said Dr. Ethan Rubinstein, head

of adult infectious diseases at the University of Manitoba. " Until

last week, there had always been much encouragement to get the

seasonal-flu vaccine. "

 

British Columbia announced yesterday that is suspending seasonal-flu

shots for anyone younger than 65 years old, joining Quebec, Alberta,

Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia in halting the immunizations.

" By the time the H1N1 wave is over, there will be ample time to

vaccinate for seasonal flu, " Rubinstein said.

*

<http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/national_world/stories/2009/09/29/flu.html\

>http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/national_world/stories/2009/09/29/flu.html

 

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