Poll: Many Canadians to avoid H1N1 vaccine

OTTAWA, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Nearly half of Canadians surveyed say they don't intend to be vaccinated against the H1N1 flu, a research firm said.

Of those polled by Ipsos Reid, 48 percent said they didn't intend to get the vaccine while 36 percent said they were very likely to get the vaccine and 15 percent said they were somewhat likely to get it, Canwest News Service reported Saturday.

The vaccine became available this week amid reports the H1N1 virus had infected thousands in recent weeks in the second wave of the virus this year, said Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief public health officer.

In its mildest form, H1N1 makes sufferers miserable and in its worst form, H1N1 is deadly, Butler-Jones said at a news conference Friday.

"The choice is simple: a safe and effective preventive vaccine or a very real risk of disease," Butler-Jones said.

The poll conducted Oct. 20-22 had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, Ipsos Reid said.