Mt. Sinai Hospital Executives Accussd of HIN1 Queue Jumping

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First it was NHL players in Calgary now it is health care executives Toronto who are being accused of jumping the line to get their H1N1 vaccines.

The Toronto Star is reporting that the 65 member Board of Mt. Sinai hospital received their H1N1 vaccines a full week before public clinics opened and before front high line health care workers who were considered a greater priority - about 15 Board members are considered high risk.

It quotes a union leader who represents health care workers:

"What we are seeing evokes scenes from the Titanic, the privileged pushing to the front and leaving vulnerable women and children to a chilling fate," said Sharleen Stewart, President of the Service Employees International Union, Local 1."This was a serious ethical lapse by the board and the CEO and a profound error of judgment by the chairman. The chair is left with no choice but to resign."

Responding for the hospital, The Star, quotes Dr. Donald Low, "At the time, it seemed like the right thing to do," Low went on to say that the hospital received 8,000 vaccines and that the inoculations of board members occurred before Ontario knew there was a shortage of vaccines.

The incident has prompted a debate about what type of hospital and health care staff should receive vaccines when there is a shortage.

Earlier in the week, an uproar ensued in Calgary when it was revealed the Calgary Flames players received their vaccines ahead of other priority cases