"Calgary Flames skip flu vaccine lineups"

[mariomike]

Alberta:
Apparently, their wives also beat the lineups!
Quote:
"I think it's again a failure of leadership that we are providing vaccines willy-nilly to whoever has money, whoever has access and when health workers are on the front lines in dealing with this issue," Swann said Tuesday. "When cancer patients, when chronic lung patients, when pregnant women and their children can't get it, this is a travesty of leadership and it's a violation of the basic principles of public health care."
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2009/11/03/calgary-flames-h1n1-swine-flu-shot.html?ref=rss

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

The stupid thing about this story is that people are even semi-suprised, it's always been this way.

Bruce twists his knee, looking at months before MRI.
Chris Bosh twists his knee............

 

[mariomike]

Sort of like when Mickey Mantle went to the front of the line for a cirrhosis liver transplant.
Like The Mick said, "If I'd known I was gonna live this long I'd have taken better care of myself."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/business/23liver.html?_r=1
But, he was sure one hell of a ballplayer!

 

[Dennis Ruhl]

What's the biggy?  In Alberta injections were unrestricted and open to everyone.  I chose life and got mine last week after a 3 1/2 hour wait.  Every province was administered differently.  I don't recall anyone chasing pregnant women or young kids out of line.  Having the Flames do their own shots reduced lineups and saved money.  I'm not even sure there is a crisis.  In the first week 300,000 of Alberta's 600,000 units were used so they were good for another week and more is on the way albeit in reduced amounts.  If between 1/3 and 1/2 people get the shot that is 1.2 to 1.8 million.  We would have been between 1/3 to 1/2 done.  The big lineups are the result of motivated people and would probably have thinned out.

 

[IBM]

On a somewhat related note, just got an email from my unit CoC earlier today, apparently CF members are prioritized like health care works so we're getting a H1N1 vaccine clinic next week.

 

[Osotogari]

No surprise about a second tier of health care for pro sports franchises.  Hell, if they had to they could just fly someone down to the USA for treatment.  They've got the $$$, so nothing stopping them there.

Nevertheless, they're sadly mistaken if this really changes anything because .......


Flames suck. 

 

[mariomike]

Looks like the The Leafs, and families, may have also "scored" Priority shots.:
"Phil Kessel would not talk about it. His bosses had told him to keep quiet and not say a word to the media about whether the Leafs had received the H1N1 flu vaccination.
“We are not supposed to comment on that type of stuff,” Kessel said.":
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/postedsports/archive/2009/11/04/have-the-leafs-got-their-h1n1-shot.aspx
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/11/04/11626871-sun.html
Looks like some Raptors got it too:
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2009/11/04/leafs-h1n1-shots963.html

 

[Pelorus]

Looks like the The Leafs, and families, may have also "scored" Priority shots.:
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/11/04/11626871-sun.html

Well, at least they're able to score something this season.

 

[tango22a]

Boot12:

That was nasty!......But true!

Cheers,


tango22a


Go Habs Go!!!

 

[Eye In The Sky]

What's the biggy?  In Alberta injections were unrestricted and open to everyone.  I chose life and got mine last week after a 3 1/2 hour wait.  Every province was administered differently.  I don't recall anyone chasing pregnant women or young kids out of line.  Having the Flames do their own shots reduced lineups and saved money.  I'm not even sure there is a crisis.  In the first week 300,000 of Alberta's 600,000 units were used so they were good for another week and more is on the way albeit in reduced amounts.  If between 1/3 and 1/2 people get the shot that is 1.2 to 1.8 million.  We would have been between 1/3 to 1/2 done.  The big lineups are the result of motivated people and would probably have thinned out.

Did you read the article???

The province is investigating how some Calgary Flames players and their families received the swine flu vaccine last week at a special clinic with the help of Alberta Health Services.

So...reading the article, Flames players didn't have to wait in lineups, like everyone else did.  You don't see a problem with that?  Are hockey players listed in the "high risk" groups? 

Why did they think it was ok??

The NHL team and its medical staff felt players should get the shots to protect against the H1N1 virus because of the risks associated with frequent physical contact with each other and other teams, as well as their frequent travel, said Flames president Ken King.

After the team doctors consulted with AHS officials on the "potential commotion and intrusion" that sending the team to one of the public mass vaccination clinics would cause, most players got their shots on Friday at a medical clinic "under the direction of Alberta Health Services," according to a statement released by the Flames.

But wait!

"Our players did not seek to avoid a lineup. They didn't ask for special attention

Oh?  Then why did the team doctors talk to AHS on the side, arrange a special clinic...

I don't know how high they can stack BS in Calgary, but it looks pretty high from where I am sitting.

 

[Strike]

What's the biggy?  In Alberta injections were unrestricted and open to everyone...The big lineups are the result of motivated people and would probably have thinned out.

They may have been open to everyone, but it was suggested that those who were not high pri wait out.  I guess the AB government gave people a little too much credit.

The big line-ups are a result of selfish people who were jumping on the media band-wagon believing the end of the world was imminent.

I can't believe you would readily admit to your actions.  Maybe I give you too much credit.

 

[gcclarke]

They may have been open to everyone, but it was suggested that those who were not high pri wait out.  I guess the AB government gave people a little too much credit.

The big line-ups are a result of selfish people who were jumping on the media band-wagon believing the end of the world was imminent.

I can't believe you would readily admit to your actions.  Maybe I give you too much credit.

I received my swine flu shot yesterday. Mind you, I was also ordered to present myself for inoculation. Does the fact that I'm in the CF mean that I'm a member of the priority group? Nope. Far from it. Does it mean that I'm at an increased risk of infection? Nope. Far from it.

In the end of the day, I cannot blame someone from taking advantage of an opportunity presented to them. If Alberta's stance is that people "should" self ration, then some will and some won't. But if they run out of shots because of that, it isn't the fault of the people who got the shot but didn't "need" it. It's the fault of those who made the decision to make the shots initially available to everyone.

 

[Strike]

I received my swine flu shot yesterday. Mind you, I was also ordered to present myself for inoculation. Does the fact that I'm in the CF mean that I'm a member of the priority group? Nope. Far from it. Does it mean that I'm at an increased risk of infection? Nope. Far from it.

You are a member of a priority group in that you could deploy with little notice.  By having the immunity you lessen the risk of infection in those areas where you are deployed as they may have little to no access to immunizations.

Now, before you go on about being DAG'ed red (if you are), it's a lot easier to say EVERYONE in the CF will get the shot then saying only those who are yelloe/green will get it.  Saves time in the checking of elligibility.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I received my swine flu shot yesterday. Mind you, I was also ordered to present myself for inoculation. Does the fact that I'm in the CF mean that I'm a member of the priority group?

I'd have to say yes, the Government would want to take action necessary to make sure those of us who do things like Aid to the Civil Power, respond to requests from provincial EMO, etc to be able to answer the call. 

In that regard, I don't consider those on fulltime service (Reg or Res) in the CF to be in the same catagory as say, hockey players.

:2c:

 

[mariomike]

In Alberta:
"Cops, firefighters in line behind paramedics:
Cops and firefighters have been relegated to the "second tier" of front-line workers who will be eligible for H1N1 shots, Alberta's chief medical officer of health said yesterday."
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/swineflu/2009/11/02/11600796-sun.html
Not sure if this headline belongs in "Emergency Services" or here in "Radio Chatter". Perhaps here, because the Subject story is about who has H1N1 Priority in Alberta.

P.S. Had this forwarded to my in-box today. Never saw anything like it in my life:
"Until further notice, if an employee is absent with a flu-like illness, a doctor's note/medical certificate will not be required unless the employee is away 10 calendar days or longer after the first date of absence related to flu-like symptoms."

 

[Dennis Ruhl]

As far as I know, all heathcare workers in my community got the shot before anyone else.  I am unsure that there could be queue jumping based on risk because the only queue in Alberta was the lineup.  Speculation is that the Flames arranged their clinic before the shortages and high demand arose.  The whole story should be out later today or tomorrow.  If the supply had continued as expected griping would be academic by now and be in the past tense.

 

[PMedMoe]

As far as I know, all heathcare workers in my community got the shot before anyone else.

Health care workers were considered a priority in most, if not all, provinces.  Who the heck would take care of everyone else if they got sick?  Certainly not the Calgary Flames.  :

 

[old medic]

Official who gave Flames vaccines fired
By SUN MEDIA

The Alberta Health Services employee who arranged for the Calgary Flames to get the H1N1 flu vaccine has been fired.

AHS issued the following statement:

Alberta Health Services leaders learned Monday, November 2, 2009, that H1N1 vaccinations were provided last week to players and families of the Calgary Flames. Disciplinary action has been taken, resulting in the dismissal today of the most senior staff member involved. An investigation is continuing and may result in further disciplinary action. A report will be released at that time.
.................

More at link

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alberta/2009/11/04/11635741.html

 

[mariomike]

Won't it be ironic if the Flames win this year's Stanley Cup?

 

[Dennis Ruhl]

Won't it be ironic if the Flames win this year's Stanley Cup?

The Oilers were going great guns this year until they started coming down with H1N1 flu.  Why didn't they just get their shots in the US, home of the free - enterprise, not vaccine?

By canningt a senior civil servant, I suspect he will be Alberta's newest millionaire, after the settlement for a political firing.