Jasper residents with flu-like symptoms likely have H1N1, according to Dr. Gerry Predy of Alberta Health Services in Edmonton.

“I’m sure there are (H1N1 cases) because we are seeing it all over the place,” Predy said in an interview on Tuesday (Oct. 20). “It’s not a notifiable illness, so I can’t tell you for sure if there is or isn’t, but certainly, we’re seeing it everywhere, so it’s likely that it’s H1N1. In fact, we don’t even advise people who have minor symptoms because we have to assume that if they have an influenza-like illness, they have H1N1, because there is no other influenza going around right now.”

Dr. Predy said Alberta Health Services are awaiting an announcement from Health Canada to approve the H1N1 vaccine, which they aren’t sure when it will come, but he said they have enough flexibility that they can start giving the vaccine out immediately after approval.

Priority should be given to people who are at more risk of getting a more severe illness, Dr. Predy said, but they have enough for everyone. 

“We have enough vaccine for everyone, everyone who wants it. But quite clearly, we would like to see the people who are at most risk of getting a more severe illness come forward first, and that would be people with underlying chronic illnesses, that would be people with heart disease, diabetes, as well as people who are overweight or obese, they seem to be at higher risk.” 

He also said young children seem to be at a higher risk, as are people who live with young children.

Until the H1N1 vaccine is out, Dr. Predy said it is perfectly OK to take the seasonal flu vaccine and then the H1N1 vaccine when it is approved. The seasonal flu vaccine is now available free of charge in Jasper.

“It’s not a bad idea to do both, actually. Again, we are waiting for an announcement from the federal government on that issue, because we are giving the seasonal flu vaccine now. We’ll just be waiting for some further direction from the federal government, we expect that in the next couple of days.”

There are some other viruses going around right now, but with influenza, you get the muscle aches, the high fever, sore throat, dry cough, Dr. Predy said. “That kind of symptom, it is like the flu, it is certainly going to be H1N1. But of course, there are other things. People have the sniffles, sneezes, a lot of colds going around.”

Vomiting is not typically a flu-like symptom, as influenza is primarily a respiratory illness, but vomiting happens on occasion, and sometimes with children said Dr. Predy.

As of Oct. 16, there were 139 confirmed cases of H1N1 in Alberta.