Let's talk stupidity: Canadians up in arms because NHL team gets H1N1 vaccinated

[David Floyd]

But not overall, which is my point. The mortality demographics of swine flu are DIFFERENT. Not higher, but different. I accept that my teensy-tiny ridiculous chance of death is higher than seasonal flu, but that doesn't make it any less of a joke to me.

[Asher]

But not overall, which is my point. The mortality demographics of swine flu are DIFFERENT. Not higher, but different. I accept that my teensy-tiny ridiculous chance of death is higher than seasonal flu, but that doesn't make it any less of a joke to me.

It's different in that it's hitting sexy *****es like myself instead of old *****es like yo momma.

One hurts society, the other not so much.

[David Floyd]

Only to a tiny degree. It isn't statistically significant, and you know it.

[Asher]

Statistically I am not significant, but you must admit the world would come crashing down around you if I croaked from H1N1. Admit it.

[notyoueither]

The mortality numbers are a lot higher for certain segments of the population.

Including your demographic.

More morons will die?

[Asher]

I'm sure that's true in general terms also.

[rah]

Well, this morning I heard on the news, (not fox) that the swine flu has moved up to being the number 1 strain of the season.

[Asher]

Hopefully this is the end of the uproar: http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/...612/story.html

Flames are not to blame

Last Friday, when the Calgary Flames got their H1N1 shots, the Calgary Herald had an editorial board meeting with Health Minister Ron Liepert. The defensive minister met with us from noon to 1 p.m. One hour later, the Flames team and some of their family members--including pregnant wives and children under five--had finished receiving their vaccinations at a Calgary clinic.

Needless to say, since then, this story and Albertans' emotions have burned out of control. Flames players are being unfairly likened to the men on the Titanic who took the place of women and children on the luxury ship's too few lifeboats. It's a powerful analogy, but unfair and wrong, and here's why.

When you learn the timing behind the Flames vaccination plan and couple that with the "everyone is welcome to get their shot" message coming out of the premier's mouth, what the team did doesn't look so bad.

After the NHL informed all teams to have their players vaccinated for H1N1, the Flames' two team doctors did some work, say sources at the Flames.

Ironically, the team wanted to prevent a public relations disaster by just showing up at some clinic and causing fandemonium, so they called Alberta Health officials to give them a heads-up.

The Flames organization asked if they could bring security to help control the predictable and inevitable chaos that would ensue when word got out that Flames players were standing in a lineup for four hours. Every media organization in town would have shown up along with every kid in a 20-mile radius, and parents in line with hockey-mad kids would have grumbled bitterly as their already hard-to-control kids scampered off to hover around their hockey heroes.

The Flames made those initial calls last Monday (Oct. 26). On Wednesday, an Alberta Health Services employee called and informed the Flames that, to avoid chaos, a special clinic would be held on Friday for the team. So, what was going on that Wednesday with regard to flu clinics? None other than Premier Ed Stelmach told all Albertans to go get vaccinated: "We're the province that is offering flu vaccines for every Albertan, not just to the high-risk groups." That was not unplanned messaging. How do we know? Because the very next day, Stelmach said: "We're not asking only those high-risk groups to get the vaccine first. It's open to all."

So, naturally, the Flames, like the rest of us assumed that everyone was welcome at these clinics and that there was lots to go around. Many people, like myself, stayed away because the lines were too long and my risk not high. But that whole week, no one in line felt shame for being there, because they were being asked to be there by the premier himself, the head of this whole botched mess.

My husband took our twin 12-year-old boys to be vaccinated on Thursday and did not intend to get a shot himself, but was talked into it by the pleasant nurse.

On Friday at noon, Liepert told the editorial board that supply was running short because of issues at Canada's only plant producing the vaccine and clinics might have to be closed by Monday or Tuesday. In fact, shortly after the minister left our editorial board meeting, clinics were shutting down lines. On Saturday, no clinics opened their doors and they remained shut until Thursday to vaccinate only children between the ages of six months and five years.

That's how fluid this whole thing has been. The Flames didn't ask for a special clinic, they were offered one to prevent chaos. In retrospect, and owing to the shortage of vaccine now, Canadians want to send the lot of them to the penalty box. That is a bad call, almost as bad as the provincial government firing the low-level official who approved of the Flames clinic. That, frankly, is disgraceful scapegoating.

Ultimately, whatever the Flames did, they would have been slammed for it. Had the players not been vaccinated and got sick and games were cancelled, there would have been a pandemic of rage for that. Had they shown up and stood in line, like everyone else, they would have been accused of being useful idiots for Big Pharma or for pulling a crass publicity stunt.

Hockey players are much like soldiers. They follow orders. Now, they're taking unfair shots.

Those are the facts. If that doesn't cool you down, then perhaps it's time you scored some Valium.

[rah]

Where can I stand in line to score free Valium?

And of course there will still be some diehards that will continue to ***** regardless.

[Ming]

Will the story make any difference? The "facts" have been out there for awhile, and people have ignored them.
I did some searches when you first posted this thread, and many stories included similar facts to what were reported above, but people ignored it. Maybe this will end the it, but who knows...

[Wezil]

"fandemonium"

Cute.

[Wezil]

For you Asher.

[notyoueither]

Will the story make any difference? The "facts" have been out there for awhile, and people have ignored them.
I did some searches when you first posted this thread, and many stories included similar facts to what were reported above, but people ignored it. Maybe this will end the it, but who knows...

I don't know if it is that simple.

Other teams asked about vaccinations for their players and were told no.

I think there's a lot of spin going on.

[notyoueither]

Also, there is a not so small issue of the Flames farm team in BC getting their shots when the policy there is expicitly that they should not have. The team doctor designated the players as being high risk and ordered the vaccine from authorities in that province.

[Asher]

I don't know if it is that simple.

Other teams asked about vaccinations for their players and were told no.

I think there's a lot of spin going on.

Which ones have actually said that? And cite.

Also, there is a not so small issue of the Flames farm team in BC getting their shots when the policy there is expicitly that they should not have. The team doctor designated the players as being high risk and ordered the vaccine from authorities in that province.

Cite.