Editor:
While trying to keep the public calm during the Ebola scare, we have heard from those in the know that we should be more fearful of influenza.
Dr. Meena Dewar (the medical health officer for Vancouver Coastal Health) is quoted in the Vancouver Sun as saying, "This is a virus that causes severe illness, particularly for the elderly and people with underlying conditions."
It was also stated the B.C. Centre for Disease Control was reporting on earlier-than-usual outbreaks of influenza. Everyone is being encouraged to get immunized as soon as possible.
With all that said, this year our Fraser Health Authority decided to include flu clinics in their cutbacks. Is public health still within their mandate?
In the past, the flu clinics in South Delta (where free vaccine was administered to anyone eligible) were held at the McKee Seniors' Recreation Centre, KinVillage Community Centre, various churches and South Delta Recreation Centre.
I would imagine all these venues (maybe with the exception of the South Delta Recreation Centre) were used free of charge. It was possible that some overtime and mileage had to be paid, but the nurses were already on the payroll.
I was one of the many volunteers and I witnessed first-hand the long lineups as hundreds of people took advantage of this convenient public health service. Am I now to believe that it is more cost efficient to have each of these people go to their doctor (adding much more strain to the few doctors we have) or a participating pharmacist? Be it a doctor or a pharmacist, the government will be billed for each individual appointment.
That's our tax dollars at work!
Eunice Getz
