HUGE uproar as Calgary Flames skip long H1N1 Vaccine line-up

[G $MONEY$]

This is big news in Alberta today. Lead story on most local channels and im sure this will be a big Canadian, if not North American story in the next couple days or sooner.

Calgary Flames skip long vaccine lines


http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=297102

http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/stor ... id=2182873

 

[Groat]

OK, so maybe it was wrong. How big of a deal is it really though? H1N1 is most likely not going to kill you. These hockey players are a MAJOR source of revenue for Calgary. They pay more taxes towards their health care. I'm sure that's not how it normally works up there, but doesn't it almost make sense?

It's almost like a damned if you do, potentially damned if you don't situation. Assume they didn't get the shots and half the team came down sick and couldn't play. Everybody's pissed off then as well. Seems to me like the people involved should get a 'stern talking to' and that's it.

 

[lumm0x]

I assume it is only an issue now because it is health related rather than just free dinners at a local restaurant or something? Celebrity often has perks that follow it around and so many people are jumping to impress a celebrity with a complimentary freebie. 99.9% of people in this world when offered something for free will take the opportunity. People are overreacting to this locally. This was all done prior to there ever being knowledge that there may be a delay in getting this ramped out to the general public and that they were going to prioritize it to the elderly, young kids, pregnant mothers and people with immune deficiencies. It was assumed before this that it would be a general roll out and if that was the case this would not be an issue.

 

[adamcm]

I don't believe the team or players knew there would be a shortage when they recieved the vaccine.

A similar story in Moncton, where they have to cancel games because of H1N1 and also received the shots early:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/ ... elled.html

The doctor who administered them is in trouble.

 

[G $MONEY$]

I don't believe the team or players knew there would be a shortage when they recieved the vaccine.

It doesn't sound like it either. They interviewed Jarome Iginla and he said he was just following team protocol. Basically they told him and his family to show up at a clinic to get their shots, he said he had no idea that their would be a shortage. Last week it was an absolute free for all though to get these shots. Anyone could get them and some of the line-ups were taking 8 hours or longer. Last week i had to drive by one of the clinics on an industrial road to get to work. It usually takes me under 10 minutes to get there, but with all the commotion and traffic it was taking me over 1/2 hour to get there.

 

[G $MONEY$]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/ ... elled.html

heard about this, this morning, hopefully it doesn't get so bad that they start canceling NHL games.

 

[G $MONEY$]

A senior Alberta health official got fired today over this....

http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/stor ... id=2184594

 

[thehamiltonian]

I don't think this is the only case, and I can understand their point - there were no restrictions on vaccine administration in Alberta last week, and it would be chaos if Jarome Iginla were to go stand in line for 4 hours.

That being said, I can't imagine that Iginla's wife and kids are such big celebrities that they couldn't go stand in line for the shots if they wanted to get them last week. Most of these guys' kids are in the priority group (kids under 5), so that's not an issue.

It does look bad, but if you think the Flames are the only ones who have done this, you are being naive. Not just athletes, but regular joes as well.

 

[justinmandawg]

Completely ridiculous.