Everyone in Dufferin who wants the pandemic H1N1 flu vaccine is now eligible to receive it.

But it remains to be seen whether Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health can match supply with demand for the vaccine, which remains in short supply and has an unusually limited shelf life.

The health unit announced Tuesday that the vaccine would be offered "to all residents, effective immediately." The announcement set the stage for up to 250,000 residents of Guelph, Wellington and Dufferin to seek the shots at public clinics, only one of which is to be in Dufferin.

That announcement came four days after release of a schedule that would have made shots available to everyone "by Nov. 30."

Last Friday, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Nicola Mercer told a video conference that, as of Nov. 13, priority groups had been expanded to include children aged 5 to 18, and persons over 65 with chronic medical conditions.

At that time, her schedule was for elementary students to be vaccinated at the public clinics this week, and the vaccine to be offered to secondary students at the schools during the week of Nov. 23.

In a news release Tuesday, the MOH said eligibility was being broadened because more vaccine had become available. "We will receive 22,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine today. With this vaccine supply we are now able to provide H1N1 flu shots to all residents who want it."

"The local roll-out of the vaccine is ahead of provincial plans. The expansion does not change the current promotion of flu shots to elementary school students or plans for secondary school clinics the week of November 26. Parents can have their shot when they bring their children to a clinic and secondary school staff can get shots at school clinics," reads the release.

Last Friday, Dr. Mercer explained that the younger children had to be treated at the clinics rather than at the schools as they needed parental consent. High school students can give their own consent, she said.

Now, with the newly announced roll-out of adequate vaccine, parents can be vaccinated when they bring their young children to the clinics.

WDGHU is not alone in offering vaccine to everyone. On Wednesday, the Toronto Star reported that everyone in the GTA would be eligible by today, when Peel joined the other regions who had begun offering it yesterday.

Meantime, The Star also quoted Dr. Bob Nosal, Halton's MOH, as saying flu activity there has already passed its peak. The newspaper quoted him as saying it would be down "to sporadic cases in a couple of weeks."

As of last week, there had been three flu-related deaths in the local health unit's area. One of those was from other than pandemic H1N1. Interestingly there had been six ICU admissions for the nonpandemic variety, and 10 from the swine flu variety.

While the sample is probably clinically insignificant, the numbers might indicate that, in relative terms, seasonal flu poses similar mortality risks to those from the H1N1 virus.

It might be worth noting that if the pandemic is past it peak, the seasonal flu season is about to begin with the onset of winter.

The only public clinic currently planned in Dufferin is at 276A Broadway in Orangeville. However, the health unit says it has also been ship- ping vaccine to some doctors for their patients.

Dr. Mercer said Monday that the health unit itself had administered 16,700 vaccines, distributed 28,000 to physicians, and 7,500 to hospitals — including longterm care facilities and health workers.

She said the 22,000 doses received this week would likely be administered in the week but a shortage is unlikely as the unit is expecting a similar number next week, and added that 22,000 is a lot to administer in one week.

The health unit is predicting 50 per cent of the total population will want the vaccine, in which event supply would keep up with demand.

Although Guelph residents were reporting hourlong waits at the city's clinic, waits at the Orangeville clinic Wednesday afternoon were reported to be only about 20 minutes.