Anger Building In Ontario Over Reports That Members Of Raptors, Leafs Got H1N1 Shots Before At-Risk

[hatrack]

The Ontario government is investigating whether players on the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors jumped the queue for increasingly scarce H1N1 flu shots, says Health Minister Deb Matthews.

A visibly unhappy Matthews told reporters Thursday she was flabbergasted the millionaire athletes managed to get their vaccine while at-risk people, such as young children and pregnant women, are still waiting to be immunized.

"I don't care who you are, how rich you are, how famous you are. If you're not in the priority group, get out of the line and let the people who are in the priority groups get their vaccination," she said.

The minister said the province was "getting the facts" to determine who administered the vaccine to some players and staffers at the hockey and basketball clubs. Most Leaf players continued to say little regarding the H1NI vaccine, but centre John Mitchell said he believes pro athletes are at a higher risk than the rest of the general public for contracting bugs.

EDIT

http://www.healthzone.ca/health/newsfeatures/swineflu/article/722055--flu-shots-for-leafs-raptors-spark-fury

[Captain Hilts]

1. If either team played halfway decently......nt

[sharp_stick]

4. A bit of flu

might be exactly what the Leafs need. A mass bringing up of the farm team... couldn't do much worse.

[Captain Hilts]

5. The Wall St. Journal had an article naming the Leafs as being The Most

unjustifingly egotistical franchise in professional sports.

At least the Ballard days - Harold and Yolanda - had some comic relief, the Gardens, and Wendell Clark.

[The_Commonist]

2. Hmmm... Let me play devil's advocate for a moment...

These guys probably meet a LOT of people every week.
They probably shake LOTS of hands.
They fly around, spend time in airports, hotels, arenas, etc.
They are probably also high risk because of that, and could be carriers.

I don't think this is all that horrible.
Now, those Goldman Sachs people, on the other hand...

[Captain Hilts]

6. True. this is why I have no problem with politicians getting ahead in the line. nt

[nykym]

3. Dear John Mitchell

Bugger Off, you overpaid sniveling cry baby. Why not try to live like the rest of us and work for a living at a meaningful job. With any luck you will be fortunate enough to get the swine flu, it would be appropriate for someone like you.