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H1N1 Flu Virus

Currently, influenza activity in British Columbia is well below historic norms and the World Health Organization has declared the H1N1 pandemic over. The majority of the H1N1 flu virus cases in B.C. were relatively mild.

A vaccine is available for H1N1 and, to date, over 42 per cent of British Columbians have already chosen to be immunized against the virus.

Due to recent changes in the recommended shelf life of the adjuvanted vaccine, B.C.'s remaining stockpile expired on May 31, 2010. Doses of unadjuvanted vaccine are unaffected by this revised expiry date and remain available.

While public health officials don't expect to see a large resurgence of the virus, they do expect that H1N1 will be one of the main strains of flu virus circulating this fall and winter. The 2010/11 seasonal flu vaccine is anticipated to protect against H1N1, along with two other strains of flu virus.

These additional resources (including the links to the right) will give you the most current information on the H1N1 situation in B.C.:

• The H1N1 flu vaccine.
• An overview of the H1N1 pandemic in British Columbia.
• The HealthLink BC file on the H1N1 flu virus and the H1N1 flu vaccine.
• The BC Centre for Disease Control’s influenza surveillance update.
• For health care providers:
  • The Provincial Health Officer’s H1N1 site for B.C. physicians
  • Information for B.C. pharmacists
  • Information for B.C. nurses

OUR PLAN

The Province responded quickly to the H1N1 pandemic, ensuring that measures were – and continue to be - in place to protect the public, as well as the out-of-country athletes and visitors that came to B.C. during the 2010 Winter Games.

These measures included:

• The largest immunization campaign ever attempted in British Columbia. [News release]
• Offering the H1N1 vaccine free-of-charge to out-of-country athletes and visitors during the 2010 Winter Games.
• As in past years, the regular seasonal flu vaccine was available free-of-charge to British Columbians at high-risk for influenza.
• Back-to-school informational packets were sent home through schools during the first week of classes in September 2009. [News release]
• Information was offered in multiple languages and specific to vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations.
• H1N1-specific pandemic response strategies. [BC H1N1 Pandemic Influenza Response Plan (2009)]
• Contingency planning for pressures that may be placed on B.C.’s health system by a resurgent H1N1 flu virus.