Canada to order 50.4 million H1N1 vaccine doses

from CBC News:



Canada to order 50.4 million H1N1 vaccine doses
Last Updated: Thursday, August 6, 2009 | 9:45 PM


The federal government will order 50.4 million doses of swine flu vaccine, and will pick up 60 per cent of the cost, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced Thursday.

The number of doses is enough for all Canadians who want and need to be vaccinated against the H1N1 pandemic virus, said Dr. David Butler-Jones, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada.

The total cost will be more than $400 million, Butler-Jones told reporters.

Canada's pandemic influenza plan calculated that about 75 per cent of Canadians might want or need to be vaccinated during a pandemic.

Results from trials of the avian flu vaccine suggest one dose should be enough, particularly since Canada's flu vaccine supplier, GlaxoSmithKline, is using an additive known as adjuvant, he said. Adjuvants are used to boost immune response from vaccines.

The vaccine order is large enough to give one dose to every Canadian, or two doses to 75 per cent of the population, he said. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/08/06/swine-flu-vaccine.html

I actually don't want anyone dying from the flu that we can prevent but that may me a minority viewpoint on DU

Around Europe, the flu doesn't seem very severe. A couple of days in bed and after that, you're fine. Nobody really knows what to do with the millions and millions of vaccins some Euro countries already stocked up with.
I for one refuse to be vaccinated, but then again I don't take aspirin for a hangover, either.

will pick up the cost of care for that also.
In contrast, in the US even if insurance covers some of the cost of the vaccine, way too many that really need it don't have insurance.
And for those without insurance (and probably many that do have insurance) if there are complications, good fucking luck.
Our "system" is set up for a huge hit from a pandemic.
And for those who don't get the vaccine and get the flu, most will try to tough it out at home. Many may even try to work with the flu, because they can't afford a lost day of work.