I’m intrigued by that question, and I’ve spent a lot of time wondering: if vaccinating people against the H1N1 flu is considered too risky or inconvenient for some, why isn’t there a better alternative?
If you are among the people in Toronto who have no personal-use exemption — but still live in an apartment building — you are being vaccinated against disease. Because city and provincial officials think this is wise — and because some building owners refuse to grant you one, even though you’ve demonstrated that the risk of contracting the flu is lower than your risk of developing serious allergic reactions — here’s how you do it.
First, you note your building ID card; your landlord’s and the occupant’s have to be shown. Next, you enter into a private agreement with the building staff that you will provide proof you are being vaccinated every year. Once you do that, the staff (or security staff, or otherwise) will hand you your ID (provided you’ve provided documentation), and you can follow up in person every year at the building’s annual flu clinic.
If you don’t know where to get your second vaccine — the one that targets the strains of influenza that are currently dominant in Toronto — then you can go to city hall, which has been offering vaccination clinics. But they are also having clinics at 25 locations across the city. And it’s a 40-minute drive. Or better yet, you can get a flu shot that lasts several weeks through your doctor’s office. In this case, you’ll need to schedule a follow-up appointment to be treated with the next batch of vaccine.
