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People upset over Flames H1N1 vaccinations
by Allan Maki, The Globe and Mail
NHL News
News that the Flames and their family members had been inoculated at a special clinic last Friday created instant uproar and a political scandal at the provincial legislature yesterday. Politicians wanted to know how an NHL team was allowed to jump the queue and called for an investigation while an untold number of Calgarians called the Flames' front office to vent their anger.
The Flames released a statement and answered questions but never acknowledged any wrong doing. "We sought counsel and guidance on this matter and determined it appropriate given the facts available at the time," the statement said pointing out it had all been arranged through Alberta Health Services. "We accept full responsibility for our actions and decisions."
When interviewed yesterday, the Flames' players were of the same mindset and insisted they were only following instructions from the team. Flames captain Jarome Iginla said the players didn't believe, or even realize, they were cutting in front of those who may have been in high-risk groups in need of the vaccination.
"For us as a group of players, we were following the medical protocol given to us. Today, we can see ... that they're stopping [the inoculations] and that there's a shortage," Iginla said. "So yeah, we can understand why people might be upset."
Flames defenseman Robyn Regehr admitted he was "pretty happy" to have received the shot.
"You're hearing all kinds of things — and having to go across the border [the Flames travelled to Dallas yesterday], they say you might need it, so at that point, we had the option and I took it as a player."
Flames' president Ken King was adamant in his defense of the players saying, "Our players did not seek to avoid a line-up. They didn't ask for special attention, they followed the direction of our physicians, they followed the organization's direction."
King added the situation concerning the availability of the swine flu shots changed between Friday and yesterday and noted that if the team had asked Alberta Health Service for the shots 72 hours ago it would have been declined.
"I think we would be declined," King told reporters, "not because of the backlash but because of the change in the need-based distribution program. It's a different program today than it was Friday."
The Flames are believed to be the only Canadian NHL team to have received vaccinations. In Edmonton, Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini said his team was still waiting to be vaccinated.
"I don't know when we're going to be able to get it. Hopefully soon," he said.
As many as eight Oilers players — from defenseman Ladislav Smid, the only confirmed case of the H1N1 strain on the team, to center Shawn Horcoff — have been affected to some degree by the flu.
The Oilers have followed all the NHL's protocols to minimize the spread of flu through the team. In fact, according to Tambellini, they took the pro-active step of introducing precautionary measures back in training camp, knowing that H1N1 could be an issue that they'd need to deal with.
"This isn't something that just happened to us," Tambellini said. "We've been doing all these things since Day 1 — water bottles for every player, separate towels for every player. Our doctors and training staff have been on it since the start of the year."
The reaction to the Flames' flu shots was especially contentious in the provincial government, where the Progressive Conservatives have already been under daily attack for their handling of the province's vaccination plan.
Alberta Liberal Leader David Swann called the special clinic set up for the Flames "a violation of the basic principles of public health care."
Alberta NDP Leader Brian Mason said it was outrageous the government let high-risk groups such as pregnant women and children stand in line for hours to get the shot while a small elite group received it with little effort. "Of course, the owners of the team stand to lose a lot of money if their players all get sick but I don't think that is as important as making sure that a pregnant mother or a child [doesn't] get severely sick or die from H1N1," Mason said.
Roman Cooney, a spokesman with Alberta Health Services, said the special clinic approved by "staff" for Hockey players and their families "should not have happened ... I am apologizing for a serious error in judgment."
An official for Alberta Health Services has apologized for giving the Calgary Flames swine flu shots while thousands of people waited in line for the vaccine last week.
Dr. Gerry Predy, senior medical officer of health, apologized Wednesday at a news conference, according to The Associated Press. The agency reports directly to the Alberta government.
Health officials have begun an investigation into the special clinic, which was held for the players and their families on Friday, AP said. The swine flu vaccine rollout was plagued by long lineups before it was shut down Saturday.
The province is launching a revamped program Thursday. Shots will be available for children and pregnant women, according to AP.
With reports from Eric Duhatschek, Dawn Walton, Katherine O'Neill, Matthew Sekeres
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