New Glasgow – The health authority is modifying its visitors policy to protect patients from the H1N1 flu virus.  
Effective immediately, only two visitors are permitted for a patient, children under 12 years of age are not permitted to visit, except for compassionate reasons, and anyone with flu like symptoms should not visit at the Aberdeen Hospital or Sutherland Harris Memorial Hospital.
Upcoming H1N1 vaccine clinics will be open to more people to include additional risk groups announced this week by the province’s chief public health officer.
People in the following groups are now eligible to receive H1N1 vaccine: children 19 or younger with chronic medical conditions for which they receive regular medical attention, including morbid obesity, and women who have just given birth and their partners.
People in the first risk groups announced last week are still eligible to be immunized, including First Nations communities, pregnant women and children younger than five years of age (six to 59 months) but not their family members.  
According to the clinic data collected in Pictou County, so far approximately 55 per cent of pregnant women, 64 per cent of children under the age of five and 80 per cent of the First Nations population in Pictou County have received the H1N1 vaccine.
A vaccination clinic will be held at the Museum of Industry in Stellarton on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  There are no clinics scheduled beyond Saturday at this time.  Pictou County residents in these high risk groups are encouraged to attend one of these clinics. People who do not belong to one of these groups will not receive vaccine at this time. 
 The unadjuvanted H1N1 vaccine for women less than 20 weeks pregnant will be available at this clinics.
People are reminded to bring their health card. There is no charge for the H1N1 vaccine.  Do not come to the clinic if you are sick or have flu symptoms. Children under 12 years of age must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian or the accompanying adult must have written permission for the child’s immunization from that parent/legal guardian.
In response to the flu activity present in the community, the Flu Assessment Centre will remain open next week to treat those people experiencing flu-like symptoms. 
The assessment centre will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Nov. 9, 10, 12 and 13, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; and on Remembrance Day, Nov. 11, from 2-9 p.m. 
Pictou County residents can go to www.pcha.nshealth.ca for the latest clinic schedule and information on H1N1.