Remember the campaign to get EpiPens into Hamilton restaurants? Well, Hamilton's making allergy news again, this time for pushing to have mall guards carry EpiPens in case of emergency allergic reactions. TheSpec.com reported that Hamilton's medical officer would like to see the pilot project take place in two area malls—Eastgate Square and Jackson Square. About the pilot project, the leasing manager of Jackson Square, Jocelyn Mainville, says, "Anything we can do to help, especially with something as simple as an EpiPen and auto-injector. Why wouldn't we do it?"
Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Hamilton's medical officer of health, is pushing for the city to supply up to $82,000 for the project. After Maia Santarelli-Gallo, a twelve-year-old Hamilton girl, died from a reaction to an ice cream cone at a Burlington Mall, more attention has been on access to epinephrine auto-injectors in public spaces, in the same way that defibrillators are found in most public buildings now.
I think it's a fantastic idea, especially given the fact that an anaphylactic reaction can take anyone by surprise, and allergies can appear at any time. In addition, there are often times people have forgotten their epinephrine auto-injector at home, or need a second dose.
What do you think?
Not sure what to do in case of an allergic reaction? Here are step-by-step instructions on how to use your EpiPen.
Check out our Parents' Guide to Dealing with Kids with Severe Allergies.
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