Alberta Health Services has fired the most senior staff member involved in the Calgary Flames and their families receiving the H1N1 vaccine
"The decision to allow preferential access to the Flames and their families was a serious error in judgment on the part of the staff involved," said AHS President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Stephen Duckett. "Our policies on vaccine distribution are designed to ensure an equitable distribution of the vaccine to all Albertans. The special treatment for the Flames and their families is unacceptable to us and contrary to all of our existing protocols and processes. I apologize for this breach of our duty to Albertans."
On Tuesday, the president of the hockey team revealed the players and some of their families received their shots at a private location.
Ken King says the organization contacted Alberta Health Services and requested the clinic.
King says given the risks associated with their sport and the amount of travel the players do it was necessary to get the players vaccinated against H1N1 as efficiently as possible. "We thought we were doing the right thing given what we knew at the time."
The team's doctors worked with Alberta Health Services to assess the risk to players and the "potential commotion and intrusion that sending the team to one of the locations would cause," says King in a statement released on Tuesday. "Our players did not seek to either avoid lineups or get special attention."
The players received the H1N1 shot on Friday.
Health officials say their investigation into the incident is continuing and may result in more disciplinary action.
