Alberta fires health official behind Flames’ queue-jumping

Alberta health officials have fired the most senior person responsible for allowing players on the Calgary Flames to be vaccinated against H1N1 before others in the province. “This circumstance was a clear departure from [protocol],” read a statement signed by Ken Hughes, board chairman of Alberta Health Services, and Stephen Duckett, CEO and president. “We set the expectation that this should not have happened and should not happen again.” The firing is the first since Alberta announced it would investigate how Flames players skipped the queue while others lined up for hours to get their shot. Dr. Gerry Predy, the senior medical officer of health for Alberta Health Services, said Wednesday he believes the preferential treatment reserved for the hockey players was likely an isolated incident, “but nothing is 100 per cent.” The province recently decided to shut down clinics meant for the general population and reserve the dwindling supplies of vaccine for high-risk groups.
National Post