As H1N1 flu deaths, hospitalizations and school closures continue, B.C. firefighters say they should be given priority vaccinations.
Health officials say three more British Columbians have died in the past week because of H1N1, raising the total number of lab-confirmed deaths to 15 -- and another 162 people have been hospitalized.
But while nurses, paramedics, and even the Olympic Torch relay staff have started getting their H1N1 vaccinations, B.C.'s firefighters have not.
"The experts are saying that 30 to 50 per cent of first responders could be affected by this epidemic," B.C. Professional Firefighters president Michael Hurley told CTV News.
"Most of the time, we are ahead of the ambulance service."
Firefighters aren't currently considered high-priority vaccine recipients - though Hurley says there are concerns among staff that a mini-epidemic within local fire halls could affect service.
If they aren't vaccinated soon, Hurley says they may consider refusing to see H1N1 patients.
School closures and absentee hospital staff
The firefighters' concerns come just as B.C. is nearing what experts call the peak of the virus' second wave.
Kitimat, in northwest B.C., has closed down all five of its schools until the end of the week because of a 40 per cent and higher flu absentee rate.
B.C. medical health officer Dr. Perry Kendall said the flu is making inroads in hospital emergency rooms where health officials are starting to see increased absenteeism in hospital staff.
"It hasn't currently reached the point where people have had to close down wards or shut operations, with some exceptions," said Kendall.
He said those hospitals have shut down ambulatory clinics, where people have minor surgery, and the resources have been moved to the emergency room.
But though the flu vaccine has been slow in rolling out, authorities expect 800,000 people -- or 20 per cent of the province's population -- will be vaccinated by next week.
With files from The Canadian Press and a report from CTV British Columbia's Penny Daflos
