TRURO – Most of the people being treated at Truro’s temporary assessment clinic are believed to be suffering from the H1N1 virus.
“The majority of the cases they are seeing, they believe are H1N1,” said Krista Wood, spokeswoman for the Colchester East Hants Health Authority, regarding an assessment clinic established Saturday to prevent people believed to have the flu – either seasonal
or H1N1 – from seeking help at the
emergency department of the Colchester Regional Hospital.
The clinic was set up to help reduce demand at the emergency department because of the high number of people attending there with flu-like symptoms.
“That’s where we want them to go,” Wood said, unless a person is experiencing trouble breathing or other severe symptoms
(chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, severe vomiting in children, high fever and confusion) in which case, they should go to the hospital.
During the first two days of the assessment clinic, 86 people were seen, Wood said. Just prior to the start of Monday’s clinic, another 60 people were waiting in line.
The sickest and those most at risk for contracting H1N1 who show up with flu-like symptoms, can receive the Tamiflu anti-viral medication.
While people can anticipate lineups, Wood said, they can also expect to be treated at the clinic faster than at the hospital.
Vaccination clinics held in Truro and East Hants last week saw a total of 7,500 doses being administered.
Those clinics continue today (see clinic facts below).
The next move, to be decided within the next couple of days, is whether to restrict hospital visitations.
“We’re really hoping that people just practice some common sense and try and stay away from visiting if they’re not feeling well,” Wood said. “If you have someone in the hospital and you are not feeling well, you actually are not doing them any favours by coming to see them.”
A shortage of the H1N1 vaccine has also resulted in high risk groups and individuals being given priority in receiving their shots.
Those with priority status include: pregnant woman; children younger than age 5; people living in First Nations communities; health-care workers; long-term care residents and staff and home-care agency staff; doctors; nurses; pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.