Flu shots cancelled again

[FigmentSpark]

So I knew Rexall was cancelling their appointments, but now, I just found out that Fortinos booked our flu shots without actually having stock. Cancelled. They don't know when the ministry will be getting any in.

We may not be able to get a flu shot this year. We're the ones that always get them, but this year, if you missed that one week window when the shots were all dispersed, it seems you're out of luck.

 

[CanadianKrista]

We're the same. We always get it, our Rexall appointment was cancelled and we can't get another appointment elsewhere

 

[pigletto]

All the Shoppers Drug Mart in my area have had stock come in two or three times and you can sign up for alerts. We signed up with them and they booked us a week out but they were only booking appointments that they had stock for. So even though the sign went up that they were out a few days later , they still honoured our our appointment a week later.
There are also free clinics going on in the city near us today at a high school. Look at places other than Rexall and check on social media.

 

[Where's Wall-E]

My Rexall appointment was just cancelled too! I've called around to a number of places with no luck. One place let me know they are getting more on Monday, but to call even on that day to make sure a: they got it and b: by the time I call they still have any. (This place does walk ins only.)

 

[Gigi22]

I was able to get my extra-strength (for seniors) shot shortly after they became available at my Loblaws pharmacy on Oct. 5. I thought there might be a higher demand for the shots this year, so when I went in for a routine prescription refill in mid-Sept., I asked if the pharmacist could tell me when the shots might arrive. She told me to call the pharmacy on Oct. 5. I did and was told they would start the vaccinations on Oct. 6. So I walked in and got a shot.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I can't even get on a waitlist at my doctor's office, let alone any pharmacy. Very frustrating.

The Shoppers near us said they got 30 doses last Friday, and they were given out to walk-ins within the hour. So if you were lucky, you got one. If you want it for your family, you're out of luck, because people don't drive around from pharmacy to pharmacy with their whole family hoping for a shot.

 

[Where's Wall-E]

PHEW! Update: I got in at another pharmacy (Save On Foods) for November 25. I was due to go to Rexall next week, but I'll take the 25th over nothing!

 

[Frozen2014]

If this is what is happening with flu shots, imagine how hard it will be to get the covid vaccine once it comes out.

Haven't been able to get ours...and our kids are in school. Ugh.

 

[TammyLynn33]

Ohh look up travel immunization clinics , we got ours at a small clinic that no one had thought of to check

 

[Where's Wall-E]

If this is what is happening with flu shots, imagine how hard it will be to get the covid vaccine once it comes out.

Haven't been able to get ours...and our kids are in school. Ugh.

I believe the plan is to stagger the vaccine to the population, starting with the most vulnerable. So it won't be quite the free-for-all that flu shots are.

 

[Frozen2014]

I believe the plan is to stagger the vaccine to the population, starting with the most vulnerable. So it won't be quite the free-for-all that flu shots are.

Yes true. More vulnerable and those in the medical field, etc will get it first, and go on from there. So as you say, hopefully no shortage with a plan of distributing.

 

[Starwind]

Yes true. More vulnerable and those in the medical field, etc will get it first, and go on from there. So as you say, hopefully no shortage with a plan of distributing.

There is also the experience of the H1N1 pandemic vaccine distribution in 2009/2010 and its lessons learned. Although obviously any covid vaccine is going to have a whole new set of logistics issues in terms of how to manage the clinics [spacing, lines, etc].

FWIW here is some info on the uptake of the H1N1 pandemic vaccine in Ontario: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/h1n1-vaccine-received-by-34-in-ontario-1.1006498 34% of Ontarians received it. The campaign lasted from end of October 2009 and ended in April 2010. Almost 44% of those who received it received it in Nov, with another 17% in Dec.

For those having trouble finding flu vaccine right now, your local public health unit should be running flu vaccination clinics and may have slots available. For example I just checked the Ottawa Public Health's online appointment system and they have some slots available between now and Nov 18 if you are willing to be flexible about which location you go to [I checked for both one person and for a family of 4].

 

[FigmentSpark]

There is also the experience of the H1N1 pandemic vaccine distribution in 2009/2010 and its lessons learned. Although obviously any covid vaccine is going to have a whole new set of logistics issues in terms of how to manage the clinics [spacing, lines, etc].

FWIW here is some info on the uptake of the H1N1 pandemic vaccine in Ontario: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/h1n1-vaccine-received-by-34-in-ontario-1.1006498 34% of Ontarians received it. The campaign lasted from end of October 2009 and ended in April 2010. Almost 44% of those who received it received it in Nov, with another 17% in Dec.

For those having trouble finding flu vaccine right now, your local public health unit should be running flu vaccination clinics and may have slots available. For example I just checked the Ottawa Public Health's online appointment system and they have some slots available between now and Nov 18 if you are willing to be flexible about which location you go to [I checked for both one person and for a family of 4].

Ours is not running a clinic at all.

 

[Frozen2014]

Found a clinic in our area so booked for tomorrow. The only thing is you can only book in 2s, so DD and I are booked one time, and DH and DS another time. Would have preferred to have been together (why expose ourselves to another family), but wasn't able to coordinate. At least we'll get it done.

 

[quandrea]

There is also the experience of the H1N1 pandemic vaccine distribution in 2009/2010 and its lessons learned. Although obviously any covid vaccine is going to have a whole new set of logistics issues in terms of how to manage the clinics [spacing, lines, etc].

FWIW here is some info on the uptake of the H1N1 pandemic vaccine in Ontario: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/h1n1-vaccine-received-by-34-in-ontario-1.1006498 34% of Ontarians received it. The campaign lasted from end of October 2009 and ended in April 2010. Almost 44% of those who received it received it in Nov, with another 17% in Dec.

For those having trouble finding flu vaccine right now, your local public health unit should be running flu vaccination clinics and may have slots available. For example I just checked the Ottawa Public Health's online appointment system and they have some slots available between now and Nov 18 if you are willing to be flexible about which location you go to [I checked for both one person and for a family of 4].

I remember getting the H1N1 at the first clinic run in Toronto. Waited six hours with my then 5yo. I was just six weeks postpartum with my twins. We were first to get the shot because the twins were high risk.

We got our flu shots second week of October at our little, local drugstore. Glad we got it early. I wonder if some people here might have better luck at Independent drug stores rather than the big chains. We just walked in. No waiting.

 

[hdrolfe]

I was pregnant for H1N1 and got my shot a month before kiddo was born, the hospital ran a special clinic. I haven't been able to get this year's yet. But we haven't really tried that hard yet. I have seen people posting on facebook when a place has some available.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I have tried calling a few small places, but I suspect they're all out, since everyone's now out of luck. I'm really annoyed also that Shoppers assured me that they would be able to order whatever they needed after Oct 25, so I wasn't worried. Now, it turns out they were wrong.

Re: H1N1 - fun times. There's a case of H1N2 just reported in Alberta.
https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/first-c...variant-reported-in-central-alberta-1.5174635

 

[mjhtvchick]

Our pharmacies were running out as well so I booked ours at a public health clinic - easy-peasy in and out in 30 min! I was so thankful!

 

[newdeal]

hate to say it but the shortage is related to people who really dont need it now getting it. If you werent going to be at risk of being hospitalized with the flu then you should have been letting other people get it. The way they handled this is likely going to increase flu problems because the more mobile people are getting it which generally are people at lower risk. Luckily public health measures will seriously decrease the flu without the vaccine

 

[Sue M]

It’s odd that in BC around lower mainland at least there has been no problem getting flu shots.
Here Loblaws wasn’t getting the extra strength one so I went to a small pharmacy to get it. Only 1 person ahead of me. Husband didn’t care and went to Loblaws and got regular one.
No appts, unless you go to doctor or flu clinic, no waits at pharmacy.
I always make sure I get it early on. Last time I got flu it was just before flu shots came out and I ended up in hospital for a week.