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The Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-11-04, Page 6Page 6 - Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, November 4, 2009 www.goderichsignaistar.com Proprietor and published by Bowes Publishers, P.O. Box 220, 120 Huckins Street, Goderich, Ontario N7A 4B6 EDITORIAL Get professional medical advice on flu vaccine shot It is so ironic that as recent deaths of young people in Ontario brought a real 'clarity and focus to the vaccination debate, the province is experiencing supply issues that will likely suspend the vaccination program for the general public and throw the program into mounting chaos. In what has to be considered a colossal communications disaster, Canadians everywhere have received such mixed messages and conflicting information about whether or not to take the vaccination that it left people simply wondering what to do. But as evidence mounted on the need to vaccinate, at least in the identified high-risk groups, apprehension about the safety and effectiveness soon gave way to long lineups across the country. People waited hours in queues on the weekend, many times only to be turned away. Their initial fears and misgivings have now given way to disappointment at the lack of vaccine available. At fust, authorities carefully calculated who would be designated as high-risk in the process, placing pregnant women, children under five years of age, aborig- inal communities, and people with chronic lung issues at the front of the line. It never seemed to unfold quite the way it was intended. It appears that in many areas, the vaccine was simply administered to people in those long lines without careful regard for the high -rusk groups. People waiting in those lines for hours, no doubt told authorities they had compromising health issues or that the system has encouraged everyone to get vaccinated at public clinics. People now seem to feel comfortable and are less likely to challenge or ques- tion safety of or the need for the H 1 N 1 vaccine. Many people will continue to get sick and unfortunately, some will die but the larger problem may be the unpredictability of this strain of virus. Some will get sick and likely cavy on with normal activity without knowing they had H 1 N 1. Others, sadly, will get very sick and some will die. We have been told that H 1 N 1 poses a real threat to the high-risk groups but it also seems to attack, with particular vengeance, healthy young teens and adults, who have ended up on respirators. The only information we know for sure is that the effects of H 1 N 1 can be fairly mild and unobtrusive for most Canadians, except in those case where it attacks with severity. It is unpredictable. It is not surprising that people are now realizing the real and inherent danger and willing to accept the vaccine. The information supply is confusing. The best advice we can take is that of our trusted medical practitioners whom we rely on for sound medical counsel. DS Report found animals to township To the Editor, Pet Rescue would like to remind all residents of any township that any found dog has to be called in to the animal control. The same goes for an injured dog found on the road. If you can- not get an animal control agent on the phone when an animal is in distress then call the township of- fice for authorization for that ani- mal to be brought in to the proper vet clinic that serves as their area pound. Pet Rescue does not take in lost or found dogs or injured dogs di- rect from the finders. Animal con- trol is paid to do these duties and Pet Rescue is not. Pet Rescue takes in dogs from the local vet pounds after the dogs .NN.•• The Goderich Signal -Stan published every Wednesday at Goderich, Ontario is one of The Signal -Star Publishing Group of Cornnwnity Newspapers, a division of Bowes Publishers. The Goderich Signal Star shall not be liable for failure to publish an ad for typographical errors in publication except to the extent of the cost of that portion of the ad in which the ermr occurred. The Goderich Signal -Star reserves the right to reject or edit any advertisement. The e oderich Signal -Star is a proud member of the Canadian Community Newspapers Association (CCNA) and The Ontario Community Newspapers Association (OCNA). MAIM ININA Editorial Deadlines... All Advertising Deadli Entertainment, Births, In Memoriams... Classifieds... Display Advertising... Telephone Fax.... Publisher... Reporters... Friday at 2 pm nes... Deaths, • Friday at 2 pm 519-524-2614 519-524-5145 Dave Sykes Dominique Milburn Gerard Creces Denny Scott Letters opinion have had three days to be claimed by owners but remain unclaimed. The rescue also does not take in found cats or kittens because there is no way for the rescue to ensure they are not simply owned pets who have become lost. Sadly, there is no cat control at all in the majority of the local townships. Therefore, the animal control does not even pick up found cats in most townships. The rescue is happy to list a found cat or kitten on their web site so that the owner may be lo- cated. The steps to do this are lo- cated on the web site. Pet Rescue is a volunteer service started in 1998 when the founder discovered that dogs were being euthanized after their time was up in the pound. They are not funded by anyone - including any township or gov- ernment agency. Pet Rescue has taken in over 2,000 animals and has always paid for their vet care and supplies. The fact that there are no ani- mals left in the pounds to eutha- nize is saving taxpayers thousands of dollars because the municipali- ties are not paying for the eutha- nization or disposal of the bodies, which in turn would have been passed on in taxes. The rescue also does not receive any money from the municipali- ties toward the spaying or neu- Continued on next page. Classifieds & Subscription... Accounting... Office Manager... Display Sales... Advertising Manager... Judy Austin Rhonda Butt Mary Johnston Janet Shrier Lisa Paleczny Keith Moreland Steve Northey Candice Mclvor Kevin Shrier Email... gssnews@bowesnet.com,gsssports@bowesnet.com gssads@bowesnet.com, goderichads@bowesnet.com web site... www.goderichsignalstar.com PueucAnons Mak Amnon No. 40064683 PAP REGISTRATION No. 7602 RETURN Unoanrou&E CANADIAN ADDRESSES To: Circulation Dept., 120 Huddns St., P.O. Box 120, Goderich, ON, NIA 486 (519)524.2614 Ema: Qsenews@bowestiet.con We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs. CanadN