Swine Flu Vaccine to the Privileged

[Ben]

I have to say I'm having a hard time building up class outrage over this story. Perhaps the Wall Street firms should have thought about the PR a bit more, but the article states that the vaccine went to many businesses and institutions that have on-site health staff. The idea that it's "the rich" taking from "the workers" is a bit melodramatic. People on Wall Street work too. If it had gone to the SEIU offices instead, that would have been okay?

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/11/06/wall-street-and-swine-flu-favoritism/

[Iain]

Don't worry, they're getting theirs. Nice shot of carcinogenic sodium chloride will learn 'em.

[freedom lover]

The giving of vaccines to financial firms is probably what it seems to be. However, you have to understand the position of the employers. The at risk employees got vaccinated. I doubt most pregnant workers make much. We all know there are very few female executives. They were just taking care of there own. You can't call those wortkers privaleged by any means.The leaders also know that the more people there are vaccinated the less likely their friends and relatives will get it.

One more thing. It would make no sense to ship vaccines to companies which lack on site nurses. As for Hospitals and the Federal Reserve that just makes sense.

Don't worry, they're getting theirs.

Huh?

[Iain]

It wasn't a serious comment, but rather a reference to a quote from an anti-vaxer article that now appears to have been removed from the internets:

"Potassium chloride, calcium chloride, and sodium chloride are also listed as ingredients for CSL. All three are considered mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells."

[Marnoot]

"Potassium chloride, calcium chloride, and sodium chloride are also listed as ingredients for CSL. All three are considered mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells."

Don't forget the di-hydrogen monoxide the above chlorides are suspended in!

[freedom lover]

It wasn't a serious comment, but rather a reference to a quote from an anti-vaxer article that now appears to have been removed from the internets:

"Potassium chloride, calcium chloride, and sodium chloride are also listed as ingredients for CSL. All three are considered mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells."

I see. I like sodium chloride. 

[Hawkmoon]

I have to say I'm having a hard time building up class outrage over this story. Perhaps the Wall Street firms should have thought about the PR a bit more, but the article states that the vaccine went to many businesses and institutions that have on-site health staff. The idea that it's "the rich" taking from "the workers" is a bit melodramatic. People on Wall Street work too. If it had gone to the SEIU offices instead, that would have been okay?

Not okay. The guidelines on who gets it first are VERY clear, and people of normal working age are low on the list. Infants first, then kids and people who work WITH kids, then on to the general population.

I was working in a town hall yesterday, in a small-ish town that has a retired cardiac surgeon as its Director of Public Health. Doc is a very intelligent man, with a great sense of humor and I have never even seen him in a slightly grouchy mood.

Until yesterday. He was LIVID about this.

The simple fact is, there is NOT enough H1N1 vaccine available to inoculate even a percentage of those who should get it. For people who are low on the priority list to intercept it and prevent it from going where it is most needed is scandalous. Yes, they claim they gave it to their workers who are "at risk," but there's no proof. More to the point, why are THEIR at-risk workers (if that's who really got the shots) more valuable than anyone else in the at-risk population? Why couldn't those people go stand in line at a flu clinic like the rest of the unwashed masses?

Doc had just come off a three-day marathon of giving flu shots. The town has two retired doctors in the health department, and they both worked tirelessly to administer the vaccine FAIRLY. I don't blame him at all for being apoplectic.

Just another example of the elitism of the "Me first" generation.

[freedom lover]

More to the point, why are THEIR at-risk workers (if that's who really got the shots) more valuable than anyone else in the at-risk population?

Just another example of the elitism of the "Me my people first"generation prioritization that's been around forever.

1) Pregnant women and the chronically ill are high on the list.

2) They're more valuable to them simply because they work for them. It's unethical but it's sort of understandable to me. You take care of your own first. It's not elitism, it's basic human nature. Scandalous maybe, but not contemptible.

[Balog]

I'm reminded in the scene from Dies the Fire where people from a nearby town are threatening the main characters, trying to get them to give up some of their food. Wish I could remember the exact quote, have to look that up.