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Abstract
Canada was one of the first countries affected by the 2009 influenza H1N1 pandemic with two waves – one from May to June and one from October to December. The 2009 influenza H1N1 pandemic had many unique features when compared with seasonal influenza, including the following: more than half of the affected people were children; asthma was the most significant risk factor for hospital admission; and Aboriginal and pregnant women had a higher risk of hospital admission and complications. Antiviral therapy was widely used but data did not show any effect on the pediatric population. Outbreak spread was possibly promoted from child–child and child–adult contact, and therefore the vaccination campaign targeted the pediatric population and achieved good coverage among young children (57%). Vaccination efficacy was difficult to test because of the vaccination delay. Improvement in models of prevention and treatment are urgently needed to prepare for the possible future pandemics.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Réseau en Santé Respiratoire du FRQS, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the investigators of the Canadian ICU-Flu Group.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.