News Sections
Quebec health minister criticizes vaccine queue-jumping
CTV News Video
|
Watch: See all Videos in the Player
Font-size:
Share
Print
CTV.ca News Staff
Date: Sat. Nov. 7 2009 11:00 PM ET
Quebec Health Minister Yves Bolduc said Saturday it was wrong for 200 hospital financial donors to get the H1N1 vaccine ahead of the general public, and promised it would not happen again.
In the early weeks of the current swine flu outbreak, donors at Montreal's Jewish General Hospital were inoculated against the virus -- despite not being on the priority list.
"I think that was mistake," Bolduc said at a press conference. "We recognize that. And I hope there won't be anyone else in the future."
Hospital officials have defended the vaccinations, saying the donors spent a lot of time in the hospital, where they would inevitably come into contact with patients.
Seven people have died from swine flu in Quebec since September. More than 800,000 people in the province have been immunized.
Toronto's University Health Network, made up of three downtown hospitals, has also come under fire for queue-jumping. It offered to vaccinate board members and executives at the same time as health workers.
"They do not fall into the category of a health care worker," Ontario's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Arlene King, said in response to the controversy.
Another Toronto hospital, Mount Sinai, has also vaccinated its board members.
Meanwhile clinics in neighbouring Mississauga closed this weekend due to a shortage of the vaccine.
User Tools
Related Stories
CTV.ca News
Tips for Parents
How to spot swine flu in kids, when to treat it at home and when to call your doctor.
Health Blog
Infectious disease expert Dr. Neil Rau offer his thoughts on swine flu on the CTV MedNews Express blog.
User Tools
About the tools
Need to get in touch with CTV? You can email the CTV web team using the 'Feedback' button.
-


Font-size
Print Article-
Feedback
Share it with your network of friends
Share this CTV article or feature with your friends. Click on the icon for your favourite social networking or messaging system, and follow the prompts.
Most Viewed News Stories
Most Talked about Stories
The chance of the destruction of our planet is very very small with this collider, but who are these people to decide what risks are acceptable for all of mankind? It puts me at unease and adds to my anxiety. CERN acknowledges that there are miniscule risks -- they admit to it so please spare the convoluted retorts.



