Swine flu vaccine will be free


Quebec's Health Department wants to inoculate each and every Quebecer with the vaccine against swine flu.

The vaccine will be provided for free to every man, woman and child in the province, and the program will be entirely voluntary.

Alain Poirier, the director of Public Health, says the plan is in place and medical professionals will be ready to start giving shots in two months.

The goal is to increase immunity in the population as quickly as posssible.

"Immunization, vaccination is the Cadillac of reducing infectious disease when it is available," said Poirier.

Health ministers will meet in two weeks to decide which groups will get the vaccine first.

On Wednesday federal Health minister Leona Aglukkaq met with medical experts to discuss how to manage severe cases of the swine flu, and to prepare for an anticipated second wave of illnesses this fall.

The swine flu vaccine will include a booster called an adjuvant, to stretch the supply.

"So with one dose you can have four dose if you use this type of booster this type of adjuvant," said Poirier.

So far Quebec's health officials have not decided if the standard influenza vaccine will also be offered for free.

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