Photo DAN PELTON THE FLU VACCINE CLINIC on Broadway attracted long line-ups Monday. The clinic continues through to Friday and will administer both H1N1 and seasonal flu shots, depending on priority of need. Few places in the community remain sickness free this week as the onslaught of the influenza season, accentuated by presence of the H1N1 virus, has been particularly severe with few residents having been vaccinated.

There are reports of local schools being depleted of both staff and students and area businesses have been affected.

In a random survey of eight local businesses, four reported absenteeism due to the flu.

The Upper Grand District School Board has reported extensive absenteeism which it attributes to influenza.

Board communications director Maggie McFazden says none of the board's schools have considered shutting down. "We have not had any reports that we should be looking at any specific schools," said Ms. McFazden, "and we are in contact with the principals on a daily basis."

A Wellington-Dufferin- Guelph Health Unit vaccine clinic opened Monday in the mall beside the old Orangeville Sobey's store on Broadway and drew a line-up that, at times, extended off the mall property and on to Centre Street.

The Orangeville clinic will continue on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays until Dec. 18. In Shelburne, clinics have been scheduled at the Mel Lloyd Centre for Nov. 17 and Dec. 4.

Due to a delay in the delivery of the vaccine, the provincial Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announced Monday that only people at high risk of developing high risk of developing complications from the virus will receive the H1N1 shot this week.

Shots for the seasonal flu, however, were available to everyone who showed up at the clinic.

Those considered high risk included people less than 65 years old with a chronic health condition, children six months to less than five years of age, health care workers, and caregivers to infants under six months old and caregivers to those in the high-risk category who were unable to receive an H1N1 shot.

Due to a vaccine delay, the Ministry of Health and Long- Term Care announced that only people at high risk of developing complications from the virus will get a flu shot this week (November 2 to 6).

The WDG website includes the following posting: "If you are not in a priority group, please come back when we can offer the vaccine to non-priority groups. We are following direction from the Ministry."

The health unit says it has distributed H1N1 vaccine "to physicians who placed their orders. Check with your doctor or community health clinic."

WDG health unit received a small shipment (1,700 doses) of unadjuvanted Panvac H1N1 vaccine for pregnant women on Wednesday. This vaccine is part of the supplies obtained by the Public Health Agency of Canada from Australia.

The unadjuvanted Panvac H1N1 vaccine will be available at some of its community clinics until supplies are gone. The Orangeville clinic will distribute the vaccine today, Friday and next Monday, depending on supply. For times, people are asked to consult the unit's website at www.wdghu.org.

Meanwhile, Headwaters Health Care Centre is operating a flu assessment clinic, where individuals will be assessed as to whether they have the H1N1 virus or not. The clinic, located at 150 Rolling Hills Drive, began on Tuesday and is open from noon to 8:00 p.m. It will continue until Friday. Patients will be seen on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Flu vaccines will not be available from the flu assessment clinic. Individuals interested in receiving the flu vaccine can attend public health community flu vaccine clinics in their area.

The Headwaters' flu assessment clinic will assess individuals who want to know if they have H1N1 influenza. Patients seen within 48 hours of first experiencing symptoms may be given a prescription for anti-viral medication to reduce the severity of symptoms.

Anti-viral medication taken within two days of experiencing symptoms helps stop the flu virus from spreading inside the body. In flu treatment studies of patients who took anti-viral medication, adults felt better 30 per cent faster and children felt better 26 per cent faster.

The flu assessment clinic will help divert those with mild influenza away from the Emergency Department so hospital staff can focus on treating the most severe cases of influenza and other emergencies. The hospital is asking anyone with influenza-like symptoms to reschedule outpatient appointments or day surgery for another time when they are symptom free.

Health care officials advise if you are normally healthy and are experiencing influenza-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, joint and muscle pain, headache), you should stay home until your fever is gone and you are feeling well. If your symptoms get progressively worse and you experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, go to the hospital emergency department.

"Vaccination is the first line of defense for flu protection," said Dr. Craig Donaldson, Chief of Emergency, Headwaters Health Care Centre.

To help stay healthy during influenza season health care officials are encouraging individuals to practice good hand hygiene, coughing and sneezing etiquette and to avoid public places if they feel unwell.

Individuals concerned about their symptoms are encouraged to contact their family doctor's office or call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-000. "If you do not have a family doctor or are unable to access your family doctor due to high demand, you are encouraged to visit a flu assessment clinic," said Dr. Donaldson.

Meanwhile, there has been widespread anger over reports that wealthier individuals in the Greater Toronto Area have avoided the line-ups and had their vaccines, supplied by the Toronto Public Health Unit, administered at private clinics.

One such private clinic is Medcan, that offers medical care to people who could afford to pay its $2,300 membership fee. Members, thanks to the Toronto Public Health donation, could get vaccinated last week.

Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horvath pressured Premier Dalton McGuinty on the subject in the legislature on Monday.

"I think the appropriate thing at this time is for the government of Ontario to tell Ontarians that they're committed to a universal public health care system in this province," said Ms. Horvath. "That's what is appropriate. Instead, worried parents are told that they need to vaccinate their kids, and when they try to do that, they find that they have to wait for hours and even days.

"Now they learn that some people who have the money at their disposal can buy their way through the process. Is that what $42 billion in health care buys Ontarians: access for the rich and long lines for everyone else?"

Premier McGuinty replied: " I think we should take advantage of as many pathways as we can get our hands on when it comes to delivering the vaccine to as many as we can, as quickly as we can."

Orangeville resident Ellen Pawekiw expressed her anger in a letter to Progressive Conservative MPP Sylvia Jones.

"I would like to know why my step mother who is a renal transplant recipient (a high risk patient) cannot get timely access to the vaccine through her transplant clinic at a public hospital or her doctor's office, while patients who pay through a private clinic can get access," she wrote. "It seems to me that the preventable deaths Dr. Aw speaks of are for patients who can afford to pay. What about those who can't pay?

"Are our public representatives really prepared to debate and play on the slippery slope of twotiered health care during this crisis? I think providing MEDCAN with vaccine from the public supply, when so many in need are being turned away — is unconscionable."