Residents went to the one-day H1N1 vaccincation clinic at city hall on Wednesday.
Ottawa has enough supply to begin releasing the H1N1 vaccine to the general public, according to a press release from Ottawa Public Health today.
Healthy people that are 10- to 64-years-old and pregnant women will be offered the unadjuvanted vaccine. But the supply of the unadjuvanted type is still limited.
Those with chronic medical conditions and younger children will be given the adjuvanted version, which boosts the immune system’s response to the vaccine.
Health care workers, pregnant women, people with physical disabilities, and children coming for their second dose are still asked to notify city staff when they arrive at vaccination clinics.
Now only children between six months and three years, as well as those under 10 with chronic medical conditions, are required to get a second dose. Before, health officials recommended all children get a second dose of vaccine.
Ottawa’s medical officer of health Dr. Isra Levy said in the press release that the H1N1 vaccine is still the best way to protect against the flu.
The announcement comes after vaccination clinics reopened on Wednesday. The city closed clinics last Thursday when supplies ran out.
So far the city has distributed 190,000 doses of the vaccine to Ottawa residents through the clinics.
Clinic information can be found at ottawa.ca/health or by calling 3-1-1.