Flames Jump H1N1 Line
Tweet Posted by Mother Pucker on November 4th, 2009
Yeah this is old news, as old as yesterday, but it’s still getting on my nerves. It has nothing to do with it being the Calgary Flames, it could have been any team that did this and I would feel the same way.
If you didn’t hear the story, the Flames somehow jumped the line last Friday and were able to get the H1N1 vaccination ahead of a lot of others. Their families, coaches, and training staff also took part in the line jumping incident. The government said that if it did actually happen (the team getting it before anyone else had a chance, especially with the shortages) that it was a mistake. The team claims that they had approval from the government before doing it. I’m sure we’ll never really find out the answer to that debate as everyone on both sides is pleading ignorance.
So why am I so wound up about this? Because this comes down to what and who are most important to society. Who would you rather have first shot at the vaccine? Your doctors, nurses, police, fire, EMS, and paramedics? Or the millionaire hockey players that serve no purpose other than high priced entertainment? Ok I kind of take that back, as there are some players that do some unreal community work, but still.
The point I’m making that if there is to be ANY priority when it comes to this H1N1 thing (which, by the way, I’m not totally buying into yet), then it should be given to the valuable members of society. What happens to society when all of your emergency services and medical staff become too sick to work? You think the Calgary Flames are going to be out there protecting us? Bullshit!
“The team claims that they had approval from the government before doing it. I’m sure we’ll never really find out the answer to that debate as everyone on both sides is pleading ignorance.”
Alberta Health Services and government can plead ignorance all they like. Unless the Calgary Flames hijacked a truck or otherwise stole, the vaccine was provided through the government agency responsible for distributing the vaccine.
So we know the answer. The question is what are Albertans and Calgarians going to do about it – complain on the internet and wring their hands, or actually get outside and demand answers and someone’s head.
Tremaine,
There is no doubt that the government F’d up on this one. The whole thing absolutely disgusts me.
And just to clarify, I’m not complaining because I haven’t had the vaccine yet. I’ve had the swine myself and therefore don’t need the vaccine.
Here is an editorial cartoon on the subject from today’s paper in Edmonton: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Malcolm+Mayes+Cartoon/1007472/story.html
Well said!