Flu shot uptake an issue in poor areas: clinic manager

Despite the shocking news of three toddler deaths due to influenza in Saskatchewan this flu season, walk-in clinics in Saskatoon aren’t seeing a spike in patients looking for a vaccination.

Clinics across Saskatoon say it’s been business as usual in the past week, with wait times ranging from 10 minutes to an hour depending on how busy their office is in general.

Administrators at those clinics also aren’t terribly surprised by the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s latest numbers, which show only one-third of children under two years old are getting the flu shot.

“(I’m) probably going to say 50 per cent is because they don’t want their kid to get a needle, because it’s a traumatic experience,” said Christine Watson, manager at 20th & Q Walk-In Clinic.

As for the other half of people who don’t get their children vaccinated, she said the answer is more complicated — especially in poorer communities and neighbourhoods.

“I don’t want to say it’s not important, but it’s certainly less important to people in the lower classes. They’re more concerned about getting food on the table and paying their rent,” she said.

Watson noted her family patients that show up regularly are making sure to get their flu shots, but there’s a large number of parents who don’t show up for scheduled appointments.

She said she’s consulted with other clinics and found those in the suburbs don’t see large numbers of no-shows.

“Their kids keep all their appointments, and I don’t see that here. I think that’s part of why a lot of my patients don’t have their children vaccinated,” she said.

Watson said she makes certain to pass along information about flu shot availability and safety to all her patients, but she feels the province and city could be doing more to help.

“The flu shot has been around for so long now that it’s kind of commonplace, and maybe people don’t flag it as an important time of year,” she said.

In eight years of working at the 20th & Q location, Watson said this year she’s seen the fewest number of flu shot patients ever.