I don't know about you but I'm starting to get a little worried about the spread of the swine flu. Not just because people are getting sick from it, but also because of what happens when there aren't enough doses of the swine flu vaccine to go around.
Not all University students were eligible to get the vaccine, despite the risk of contracting the disease we face by virtue of being in a college environment. The University gave priority treatment to those with medical histories that would increase the potential danger of swine flu, and I agree with this procedure, even if it prevents me from getting the vaccine.
But, the distribution of swine flu vaccines isn't always done fairly, and that is cause for concern. Just ask people in Calgary how they feel after the Calgary Flames (for non-hockey fans, the Flames are a National Hockey League team) benefited from a private clinic set up by a government-run health services group that diverted vaccinations from the already limited supply to vaccinate players and their families. In case you don't know anyone in Calgary who you can ask, let me tell you, they're not happy.
Alberta Health Services was the lone group responsible for distributing the vaccine in Alberta, and chairman Ken Hughes admitted in a news release that his group made a mistake in diverting vaccines to the Flames.
"I am deeply offended that this circumstance has occurred," Hughes said. "The decision to allow preferential access to the Flames and their families was a serious error in judgment."
Alberta Health Services has since fired at least one individual responsible for giving the vaccines to the Flames, but the damage is already done. The question now is, should people care that this happened? I surveyed some friends and family members to gather additional opinions and to get a clearer picture of the impact of this situation.
The Flames weren't at fault for requesting the vaccine; the team's management was just trying to protect the franchise's high-priced assets, and it is true that the physical nature of the game puts players at risk for spreading sickness. I'm also sure that of the hundreds of professional sports teams between the United States and Canada, the Flames weren't the only team that tried to secure vaccines for its players.
Alberta Health Services definitely made a mistake. One of my friends, a fellow college senior who moonlights as a sports broadcaster at Northwestern, joked that the move was justified because the public would panic if high-profile citizens fell victim to the swine flu. Otherwise, he said, their decision was "more or less inexcusable."
But does it really matter? Should people really be upset about this?
I think it does, and they should. The Flames did nothing wrong by asking for preferential treatment but they shouldn't have received it. According to reports, while the Flames had no problems getting the vaccine, many people in Alberta - some of whom probably needed the vaccine more than healthy men in peak physical condition - waited in line for hours, only to find out there were no shots left. To me, this is a big problem.
I am going to overlook the economic impact of this decision because I think the human health element takes precedence. It may be true that the Flames drive a significant portion of Alberta's economy, and I suppose it is possible that if Flames players got sick, the team could lose games and potentially miss the playoffs. Sure, if that happened, it is possible Alberta's economy would take a hit, but this situation seems far-fetched at best.
The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention listed five priority groups for receiving the H1N1 vaccine: Pregnant women, caregivers of infants less than 6 months old, children and young adults aged 6 months to 24 years, persons aged 25-64 years who have medical conditions that put them at risk and health care/emergency medical service workers. Simply put, I don't think exceptions to this list (or the Canadian equivalent list) should be made for athletes.
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