Health officials were set last night to receive 5,000 doses of non-adjuvant H1N1 vaccine which could be made available to pregnant women as early as tomorrow morning.

"It would be the first time that we have non-adjuvanted vaccine in our hands," said Dr. Isra Levy, the city's medical officer of health. "We do not have confirmation of any additional shipments at this point."

The news comes on the heels of reports the city's supply of vaccine containing the adjuvant -- an additive meant to boost the effectiveness of the vaccine -- is dwindling. By the end of today, local health officials estimate they will have vaccinated 100,000 people, but that number won't go up significantly in the coming days.

WAITING PERIOD

"The target that had been issued by the federal government was always by Christmas," Levy said. "So within the next six to eight weeks, there should be enough vaccine supply for any Canadian who wants it."

Levy said public health officials always anticipated supply of the vaccine would "trickle in" during the first few weeks of the vaccination program. He said initial plans were to begin vaccinating people at the end of November. That changed to mid-November before production of the vaccination allowed for flu shot clinics to begin receiving priority group residents the last week of October.

Additional shipments of the vaccine are expected in the near future, although when and how many is unclear. Dr. Arlene King, the province's chief medical officer of health, said yesterday the peak of the flu season occurs between December and January, so even people who are vaccinated that late in the game stand to receive protection from the virus.

Ottawa was one of the Ontario cities with what King described as "widespread" flu activity.

"It's higher than the peak of what we normally see in flu season," she said, "and higher than the first wave of H1N1 (earlier this year)."

TERRI.SAUNDERS@SUNMEDIA.CA

---

BY THE NUMBERS

SWINE FLU DAMAGE IN ONTARIO

- Since April, there have been 33 deaths from the swine flu, or 2.6 people per million

- 639 confirmed patients have been hospitalized

- 549 of those patients have been discharged

- 90 of them remain under care

- Vast majority of patients had pre-existing health issues

- Average age of those who have died is 55

- Average age of those requiring hospital treatment is 28

- Half of those needing hospitalization are under 20 years old