EDMONTON, Alberta — A senior staff member for Alberta Health Services has been fired for giving the Flames swine flu shots while thousands of people waited in line for the vaccine last week.
The board, which reports directly to the Alberta government, won’t name who was dismissed Wednesday and said more people might be punished for their roles.
“I am deeply offended that this circumstance has occurred,” Ken Hughes, chairman of Alberta Health Services, said. “The decision to allow preferential access to the Flames and their families was a serious error in judgment.”
Hughes said the “most senior staff member involved” was dismissed.
Flames president Ken King said the players and their families received their shots Friday at a private location. He said they believed they had gone through proper channels at Alberta Health Services, the agency that administers health services for the province.
King said they felt the shots were a priority for the players because of their extensive cross-border travel and the close-contact physical nature of their sport. He also said they didn’t want to cause a commotion by having the players stand in line at a public clinic. However, he didn’t say why that rationale would apply to Flames management and players’ families.
Footnotes.
The Stars activated center Mike Modano (rib) and right wing Jere Lehtinen (abdomen).
• Capitals star Alex Ovechkin (upper body) said he’s feeling better and could potentially play Friday at Florida.
• Rangers forward Dane Byers was suspended one game for his role in a fight during Monday’s game at Vancouver. He will forfeit $2,590 in salary.
• Thrashers goaltender Kari Lehtonen is expected to miss six to eight weeks after having a second surgery on his back.
