Queue-jumping sparks backlash
Sports teams get shots ahead of people at higher risk
Richard Watts, Canwest News Service; Times Colonist
Published: Thursday, November 05, 2009
Vaccination queue-jumping by sports teams has led to the firing of a health official in Alberta and criticism of a doctor in B.C.
Sports teams will have to wait their turn for an H1N1 vaccine, said B.C.'s chief medical officer yesterday, responding to reports that members of the Calgary Flames and its American Hockey League farm team in B.C., the Abbotsford Heat, were immunized ahead of people considered to be at higher-risk.
"We don't plan to give priority access to professional sports teams or any amateur sports team," said Dr. Perry Kendall.
Kendall said he will tell a doctor at Abbotsford's West Oaks Medical Centre, who gave vaccinations to the Heat team, that the shots were inappropriate and "outside provincial guidelines for the vaccination program."
All but five of the 27 members of the Abbotsford Heat were vaccinated this week after they fell ill during an 11-day road trip and were deemed "high risk" by the team physician.
The vaccinations came just days after members of the Calgary Flames and their families jumped the queue for shots in Alberta.
Yesterday, Alberta's Health Services Department fired the senior staff member responsible for giving vaccine to the Flames. "An investigation is continuing and may result in further disciplinary action," the Alberta government said in a statement.
A spokesman for the Victoria Salmon Kings said team members have not had H1N1 shots. Jeff Harris said so far -- "touch wood" -- the team has not experienced flu problems.
Vaccinations are being given according to a priority list based on vulnerability to complications from H1N1. That list includes pregnant women, those under 65 with conditions such as asthma, children aged six months to five years, some health workers and those living with infants under six months or with people with compromised immunity.
Kendall agreed queue-jumping has occurred, but he said he has no way of knowing the extent of the problem.
Earlier in the week, he said he approved 300 doses for Olympic torchbearers. At the time, a shortage
wasn't expected and Kendall said vaccination made sense since torch carriers would be in contact with crowds of people.
Since then, health officials have warned the vaccine supply could dwindle because of manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline's production problems.
The federal government said yesterday that it expects 1.8 million additional vaccine doses to be available across the country next week. Kendall said he has not received official confirmation yet.
He said B.C.'s share would be 216,000 doses -- significantly more than the 65,000 originally predicted for next week.
By the end of this week, it's expected 800,000 doses will have been administered -- accounting for almost 20 per cent of B.C.'s population. Health officials say they hope the vaccine will be available to everyone by late November or early December.
Kendall said provincial efforts to dispense anti-viral Tamiflu medicine quickly to flu sufferers with underlying health conditions is proving effective at keeping them out of hospital and off ventilators.
He said 46 cases so far have required ventilators, while the province has a capacity of about 1,000 machines. The province ordered a million doses of Tamiflu and has used about 15 per cent of its supply, said Kendall.
rwatts@tc.canwest.com
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