After running out of vaccines last week, the territory will be offering one-time flu clinics today.
The Whitehorse Health Centre will hold a flu immunization clinic from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Kwanlin Dun Health Centre will also hold a clinic today from 9 a.m. to noon, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The territory received an additional 1,250 vaccinations this week, said Dr. Brandon Hanley, the Yukon’s chief medical officer of health.
The Yukon had to ask for more vaccines from the federal government after going through about 9,000 this flu season.
For now, today’s clinics are the only ones on the schedule.
Officials will have to see how much is left after that before scheduling more, Hanley said.
About half of the new batch of flu shots is the standard variety administered with a needle.
The other half is known as Flu Mist. That type of vaccine is given through the nose. It’s usually used for children from two to 17 years old, but is effective on adults up to 59 years old, Hanley said.
He said the 1,250 vaccines are about the amount the territory had asked for.
If this batch runs out, the Yukon is still on the list for vaccines coming from places outside Canada, such as Europe.
The territory asked for about 1,000 more vaccines from that program and should hear from them soon, Hanley said.
(Ashley Joannou)