Two-Tiered H1N1 Vaccines?

Never mind that we've been lied to by the Federal Government as to whether or not there would be enough vaccines for all Canadians. Never mind that Agluquack and Butler-Jones have proven themselves incompetent when it comes to communication and the roll-out of the vaccines. Never mind that the only honorable thing for those two to do is resign.

Folks who are healthy and not in the high risk category are showing up and taking the place of someone who is high risk and on schedule for their vaccine. Pandemonium and disorganization everywhere.  Funny how folks rush in a panic to inject something untested into them and will wait in a crowded line not realizing they could catch this flu just by being in such cramped quarters for a long period of time.

One example of this disorganization was an elderly disabled man called the Tommy Schnurmacher show on CJAD last week saying the folks at the clinic suggested he buy a chair or get a walker with a bench so he could sit down in line.

Remember how he always dreamed of the American Health care system in Canada? Also remember how he said once upon a time: 

"I know this is a dangerous subject. My advisors say don't talk about it, but the fact is sometimes provinces have allowed in the past few years, they've brought in private services covered by public health insurance... Why do I care and why do we care as a federal government how they're managed? What we care about is whether people can access them. This is just an ideological agenda."

He pretty much repeated reiterated the above statement on the ABC's Jake Tapper show, when mentioning that he leaves health care to provinces to take care of. More like passing the buck as we watch Stelmach and Duckett turn Alberta's health care system into the American system by slashing all kinds of health care services. 

After watching Agluquack  being interviewed by Craig Oliver on Question Period this morning, regarding what has been going wrong with the roll-out of the H1N1 vaccine,  she parroted Master Stevie's old line; distribution is a provincial responsibility. It was uncanny, no matter what Oliver asked or how would phrase the same question in more than one way, she gave that same response, including when he asked her if she thought it was fair for Med-Can, a private for profit Toronto clinic where one pays 2000$ to become a member. A clinic where only Toronto and surrounding area's most affluent can go. She really seemed callous about that. Master Stevie would be proud.

Even Jane "Harper can do no wrong" Taber told Butler-Jones that it was not fair for Med-Can or any other private clinic for that matter to be issuing the vaccine and he, of course, passed the buck onto the provinces.

Why should we care about this? Well, high risk folks who can't afford the hefty membership dues suffer due to the affluence of those  who are low risk to jump the queue.  Smacks like the beginnings of the American Health care system sneaking through here; priorities given based on socio-economic class rather than urgency and/or level of risk.  Medcan is the only private clinic I can find that has been doing this. Canada does have other private for profit clinics. Are they giving out the vaccine to those who wish to jump the queue for a price?

We should care because this is not fair. 

In spite of what the Harpercons said about having enough vaccine for all Canadians, we know this is not true. Clinics have closed. People are turned away. Announcements of a shortage this week. Agluquack, still not taking responsibility, blames the needs for pregnant women to have the unadjuvented vaccine as well as blaming GKS. It looks more and more like there will not be enough vaccine for all Canadians after all. It must be taken into account that there are many Canadians like myself who are opting to not get the vaccine and yet, still shortages? 

This makes me wonder if the vaccines are being rationed for more  lucrative purposes.

Also, what's next? Could this be the push of the American private for profit type of health care system to expand? 

Today's Toronto Star now says that Medcan is now going to start vaccinating non-members of their clinic. No doubt due to the bad publicity. However, the fact that they were giving the vaccine to its' rich well-healed members the vaccine first (with no line-up and even valet parking to boot!) place is not sitting well with Counsellor and member of the Board of Health, Janet Davis. 

"I don't believe you should be able to get greater access to the vaccine because you can afford to be a member of a private health clinic," Davis said. "It's a kind of two-tier medical service most Canadians just don't accept. Personally, I would have preferred the vaccine was given out by public health."

Deb Matthews, the Ontario Health Minister says that the decision to supply private clinics will be under review after the pandemic passes. Cold comfort. Why not do something about it now? The health of all Ontarians, not just the rich,  is her responsibility.

Agluquack and Butler-Jones should have set better guidelines to the provinces in how the vaccine should be distributed. To not distribute to private for profit clinics unless they follow the same rules as the public system.