TORONTO - The push to increase the number of people vaccinated in the province is still strong as Ontario's top health official warned people on Friday not to become complacent about getting their H1N1 shot.
"The impact of this illness on individuals and families has not been inconsequential," said Dr. Arlene King, Ontario's chief medical officer of health.
"Although to date it hasn't been significant as we have seen with seasonal influenza and it certainly seems to be less significant related to other pandemics, the toll on those individuals has been substantial," King said during a news conference.
Since the flu hit last April, she said, 1,733 people have been hospitalized and 113 have died, with seven of those deaths happening this week.
"These H1N1 fatalities aren't just numbers. They represent the loss of people's loved ones, spouses, mothers, fathers, and children. This pandemic is not over," said King, as she dismissed criticism that the province was overreacting to the H1N1 virus.
King said 34 per cent of the population has been vaccinated, but a third still remain susceptible to getting H1N1.
Ontario is stocked with plenty of vaccine, as the province has ordered enough to vaccinate 75 per cent of the population.
"We don't want our supplies sitting in the cold storage," said King, who added the vaccine would be administered to people well into the spring.
"We will determine whether or not there's a need beyond that and it really will depend on how this virus behaves in Canada and internationally, and I do not have a crystal ball," she added.
With winter sneaking up on the province this week, King said it was important for people to get the shot now as the virus will linger for the rest of the season.
"We want to get as many doses as possible into as many arms as possible as soon as possible," said King.
