Indianz.Com > News > Off-reserve Natives eye flu vaccine priority

Off-reserve Natives eye flu vaccine priority
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Filed Under: First Nations | Health

Off-reserve Natives in Prince Edward Island say they should be a priority to receive a vaccine for the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu.

The province has already included on-reserve Natives on the priority list. The Native Council of PEI says urban Natives deserve the same treatment.

"We have people that live in crowded situations in urban settings. We have people that are homeless. We have mothers who have young children at home," Chief Jamie Gallant told CBC News. "When it comes to health care, off-reserve aboriginal people should be treated with the same level of priority as on-reserve aboriginal people."

Natives in Canada and the U.S. are at higher risk for contracting swine flu, according to government reports. In Canada, Native people in Manitoba have already been hit hard by the virus.

Get the Story:
Off-reserve native group calls for vaccine priority (CBC 10/7)

Related Stories:
BIE school first in New Mexico to close for flu (09/25)
BIE school closed for large number of flu cases (9/24)
Swine flu reported at Oglala Sioux Tribe school (9/23)
Body bag apology not enough for First Nations (9/18)
First Nations receive body bags in swine flu kits (9/16)
BIE tells schools with swine flu cases to close (9/15)
Utah tribes receive money for swine flu campaign (9/4)
Canada vows Native priority for swine flu vaccine (9/1)
First Nation cancels meeting over swine flu (8/18)
Fort Belknap Reservation hit with swine flu (8/14)
Remote tribe in Peru sees cases of swine flu (8/13)
First Nations raising money to fight swine flu (07/17)
Native woman in Saskatchewan dies of swine flu (7/14)
Swine flu among Natives worries prime minister (06/26)
First Nations declare emergency over swine flu (6/25)
First Nations denied hand sanitizer despite flu (6/24)
Native woman in Manitoba dies after flu illness (6/22)
Another swine flu case among Manitoba Natives (06/10)
Natives in Manitoba hit by severe flu breakout (6/9)
First Nation in Manitoba confirms swine flu (06/05)
IHS confirms three cases of swine flu in Navajo area (5/21)
Swine flu death reported on Gila River Reservation (5/20)
Chippewa Cree Tribe reports case of swine flu (5/18)
IHS confirms swine flu case on Navajo Nation (5/13)
Indian Country largely spared from swine flu virus (5/12)
Mille Lacs Band reports possible case of swine flu (5/7)
Lac du Flambeau Band responds to swine flu concerns (5/5)
Havasupai Tribe delays Grand Canyon reopening (5/1)