|
No local teams jumped queue for H1N1 vaccine |
|
|
|
Written by Dave Mabell
|
|
Saturday, November 07 2009, 10:03 AM |
Yes, the championship athletes received flu shots.
But no rules were broken, University of Lethbridge officials say, because members of the women’s rugby team received seasonal flu vaccine — not the H1N1 vaccine that’s in short supply.
Rumours that university athletes had been given the pandemic flu vaccine surfaced after confirmation that a third hockey team — part of the Western Hockey League — has had its players immunized against H1N1, contrary to provincial health rules. As a result of the Calgary Flames’ queue-jumping, meanwhile, another Alberta Health Services manager has been fired.
Members of the U of L Pronghorns women’s rugby squad — taking part in national finals in Vancouver — were vaccinated on Oct. 26, university officials report. Dr. Joel Weaver, the team physician, confirmed 50 doses of seasonal flu vaccine were purchased for U of L athletes.
“I would encourage as many of our athletes getting vaccinated as possible,” he said in a memo circulated through the university’s sports community. Coaches and trainers should also be immunized, he urged.
As for the H1N1 vaccine, however, Weaver said the province’s health officials were “maintaining strict control” over who receives it.
Not strict enough to prevent cheating, however, as Calgary Flames officials confirmed earlier this week. They confirmed their players, family members and other Flames personnel were vaccinated at a private clinic last week, while thousands of other Calgarians lined up outside mass immunization clinics — only to learn the clinics had run out of time or vaccine.
In Calgary, an Alberta Health Services official confirmed reports Friday that a second manager has been fired as a result of the Flames fiasco. Meanwhile in Edmonton, Premier Ed Stelmach described the team’s special treatment as “deplorable.”
“Obviously heads did roll,” he pointed out. “It’s not right, somebody in the position of trust broke that trust.”
Officials in British Columbia since learned the Flames’ farm team, the Abbotstford Heat of the American Hockey League, also received H1N1 vaccine despite the B.C. health department’s regulations. Now they say a Western Hockey League team, the Chilliwack Bruins, was discovered as a queue-jumper as well.
In Lethbridge, Hurricanes spokesperson Ryan Ohashi said this city’s WHL team hasn’t had the benefit of an H1N1 flu clinic. But he declined further comment, referring news media questions to league officials. In Calgary, a WHL spokesperson said league commissioner Ron Robison — the only person who could speak about WHL teams’ transgressions — was unavailable until next week.
Close by the Hurricanes’ home rink, a spokesperson at Lethbridge College reported student teams there have enjoyed no special clinics. But they’ve stepped up health precautions.
Game water bottles are name-labelled and sterilized frequently, Gwen Rosentreter said, and hand sanitizer is readily available beside the basketball court. Athletes and all college students are encouraged to stay home when they feel ill, she added.
“And we have hand sanitizers all around the college.”
Those efforts are somewhat countermanded by a league rule stressing courtesy over cleanliness, however.
“They’re telling us to observe the handshake protocol,” Rosentreter says, insisting on congratulatory handshakes after basketball tilts.
Students and athletes have remained relatively healthy, she adds, and no scheduled games have been cancelled.
“We’ve fared well so far.”
|
