BRYNN HARRIS
Opinions Writer

I remember as a child, walking through a cemetery in rural Saskatchewan with my father.

I noticed a lot of graves featured the year 1918. My father then explained to me how many people lost their lives as a result of the virulent Spanish Flu. Anywhere between 50 to 100 million people were killed worldwide a result of the Spanish Flu. I assumed that if a worldwide flu were to strike again, we would be protected by modern vaccination technology. Now that the H1N1 flu has arrived, it is evident we are not as well protected as we might have hoped.

The H1N1 flu virus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in June. The H1N1 vaccine did not become available in Canada until October. Alberta put a “first come, first served” sort of system into place.

In Saskatchewan, children under five and pregnant women received the shot first. At the same time, an adjuvant-free vaccine was in development specifically for pregnant women. That vaccine was approved in Canada only days ago. That does not seem to make much sense. Those of us whose health is not compromised, and those of us who are not pregnant have waited patiently for the vaccine, trusting the government to know what is best. But, is it sufficient to receive the H1N1 vaccine more than six months after the pandemic began?

A friend of mine has been battling cancer for 10 years, has a compromised immune system and only received the vaccine days ago. I cannot help but wonder what sort of situation we would be in today if the H1N1 flu had been more severe or if it had mutated.

Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, when asked about the slow rollout of the vaccine, said everyone who wants it will eventually get it. For those who have gotten sick over the past month or, heaven forbid, have lost a loved one, I am sure her assurance is of little comfort. What good is a vaccine if we cannot get it in a timely manner? The media have been reporting that prison inmates, investment bankers and professional athletes received the vaccine before the general public. And, while it is not necessary for us to overreact, surely it is our responsibility as Canadians to demand our politicians take action to keep us safe. Taking six months to roll out the vaccine and giving out insufficient doses is absolutely unacceptable in 2009.

If our government cannot make sure every Canadian is vaccinated promptly, then we are just as at risk as those poor souls in 1918.

While I am sure you have noticed the numerous isogel dispensers around campus, I am not sure if you have noticed the deteriorating conditions of bathrooms. One women’s bathroom in the Arts Building, for example, has doors which no longer lock, and garbage receptacles that, on a daily basis, are overflowing onto the floor. It is good to see people are washing their hands but that sort of mess building up during a pandemic is unacceptable. If you need to use the bathroom, and have not been vaccinated, you might want to hold it until you get home.

As students, we will be among the last group to be vaccinated against H1N1. The first flu clinic at the U of S takes place starting Nov. 24 in the Education Gym. For students, sickness means missed classes, exams and essays. I am sympathetic toward those who have contracted H1N1 during the time period the vaccination has been unavailable. We all know how hard catching up can be in a fast paced university environment.

There is no reason that in our technologically advanced society, our governments are picking and choosing which age groups will be protected against the flu. There should be enough vaccine for everyone.

It is often said we learn from history so we do not repeat it. Let us look back on the Spanish Flu of 1918 and recognize that a vaccine is the key to saving lives. Let us look back on the H1N1 pandemic of 2009, and
learn that vaccines need to be distributed to all Canadians in a timely manner.

Politicians make mistakes, but when it comes to health, the stakes are too high. We were lucky this time, next time, we may not be.