It appears Albertans are getting in line for influenza vaccines this year.
    Before flu season comes flu vaccine season and Alberta Health Services has been operating influenza clinics in the central region since Mid-October.
    According to Aric Johnson, executive director of communications for Alberta Health Services Central Zone, as of November 3, 306,038 doses of influenza vaccine have been administered across the province, and 34,354 have been delivered in the central region, which includes Drumheller.
    He said it is important to note these numbers don’t include doses administered by physicians during in-office visits, or doses given by pharmacists. These are reported in December and in March.
    “Partner providers deliver a significant portion of our doses each year, and more so this year than ever. We know we have more than 150 new (additional) partner providers immunizing Albertans this year than we did last year, and we expect to see that the doses being delivered by these partners makes up for the current difference in doses being delivered by AHS Public Health so far this year,” said Johnson.
    Pat Doyle of Medicine Shoppe at Freson Bros IGA said he has seen his numbers double over last year. So far he estimates he has delivered about 250 vaccines this season.
    Ray Ainscough at Riverside Value Drug Mart also says his number has increased, however he still feels the overall number are down from last year. He said there has not been as much awareness as last year. Despite that his clinics have been busy.
    Arson Gincher of Shoppers Drug Mart says his numbers are also way up, and many people enjoy the convenience of getting the shots at their local pharmacist. He says typically customers can get the shot anytime during pharmacy hours.
    This year Alberta Health Services has approved the use a vaccine delivered nasally. Alberta Health Services will deliver the vaccine for youngsters who are adverse to needles, from 2 to 17. Ainscough at Riverside value Drug Mart and Gincher from Shoppers Drug Mart also say they are able to administer the nasal vaccine for youngsters starting at age 9.
    Pharmacies at Wal-mart and ExtraFoods are also holding flu clinics. Watch The Drumheller Mail for Alberta Health Services flu clinic schedules.

    A new fossil find may give some the urge to examine their ornamental landscaping rocks a little more closely.
    A grounds technician at Olds College recently discovered fossil remains encased in a rock that was moved in a campus landscaping project. The jet black fossil protruding from the rock was photographed and the Royal Tyrrell Museum was notified of the find.
    “At first glance we thought it was a dried banana peel,” admitted Leona Megli, grounds technician at Olds College. “At closer glance we realized it was something much more valuable, but the last thing you think you’d find in your job is a 60-million-year-old fossil!”
    A senior technician was sent out to investigate and the fossil was brought back to the museum.
    The fossil has been identified as a Simoedosaurus, a crocodile-like reptile that lived in fresh water roughly 60 million years ago. The animal belongs to a group of reptiles called champsosaurs, which closely resembled crocodilians and lived alongside the dinosaurs, but survived the mass extinction 65 million years ago.
    “This is an exciting find,” said Dr. Donald Brinkman, Director of Preservation and Research at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. “Two kinds of champsosaurs lived during the Palaeocene Epoch in North America; Champsosaurus and Simoedosaurus. Only two specimens of Simoedosaurus have been reported previously in North America; one from Saskatchewan and one from North Dakota. This specimen discovered in Olds is the rare Simoedosaurus.”
    Other specimens of Simoedosaurus have been found in Europe, providing evidence there was an interchange between the two continents at some point.
    The fossil is currently a priority specimen at the Tyrrell Museum and is currently being prepared.