Saturday, November 7th, 2009
Quebec health minister criticizes queue-jumping for H1N1 vaccines
MONTREAL - Quebec's health minister has criticized preferential access to H1N1 vaccines that have been brought to light across the province.
Yves Bolduc told a news conference Saturday he disapproved of a Montreal hospital's decision to vaccinate its top donors. Bolduc said no special privileges should be given for vaccinations in the province.
Media reports say a few weeks ago, Montreal's Jewish General Hospital inoculated 200 donors who weren't on priority lists.
According to hospital officials, the donors spend a lot of time in the medical centre and come in contact with patients.
Earlier this week, vaccine manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline was criticized for immunizing its employees and their families ahead of many priority groups.
In Ontario, board members at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital got the H1N1 shot last week and the University Health Network is offering the vaccine to its board and executives, along with nurses, doctors, volunteers and other hospital workers.
Meanwhile, Quebec will open 26 new flu clinics across the province Monday in an attempt to reduce pressure on packed emergency rooms in the province.
Seven people in Quebec have died since the second wave of the H1N1 flu hit the province and 579 have been hospitalized.
So far, over 800,000 Quebecers have received swine flu immunizations.
