H1N1 vaccine access spawns controversy

With the H1N1 swine flu vaccine in short supply, concerns are being raised about who canor cannot get the shot in B.C., including patients of an exclusive clinic, firefighters and those who depend on the HandyDart service.

NDP health critic Adrian Dix is questioning why Vancouver's Copeman Private Healthcare Centre has received hundreds of doses of the vaccine, even though it is not open to the public.

The controversial private health-care clinic charges an annual fee to its customers in exchange for premium access to various medical services.

Dix says it is unacceptable the clinic's paying customers get privileged access to the vaccine while thousands have been forced to wait in lines across B.C.

"If you have a clinic process where you get to pay $3,900 for privileged access and you get to walk in and get the vaccine when other people are waiting, do people really think that's a fair way of going about it?" Dix said.

But owner Dr. Don Copeman said the clinic will only give the vaccine to its members at risk, in keeping with the provincial guidelines.

"We had 300 doses, so we've been frantically booking people for their appointments this week, and of course we follow the provincial guidelines and are giving them just to the high-risk groups."

Health Minister Kevin Falcon said the clinic is being treated like any other medical practitioner.

"They're given an allotment of vaccinations and they're required to deliver those vaccinations in accordance with the directives of the programs," said Falcon.

HandyDart ridersand firefighters denied access

Meanwhile, some people who rely on the HandyDart transit service haven't been able to get to clinics for the shot because of a strike by the drivers.

The service provides public transit for disabled people who can't use the regular system, but the drivers are only transporting people who need cancer treatment or dialysis, under the terms of an essential services order.

Union representative Tyler Felbel said transporting people to vaccination clinics was not covered in the order, but that may change after a meeting with the Labour Relations Board later on Tuesday.

Firefighters bumped, they say

Concerns have also been raised by firefighters who say they were recently removed from the priority list for vaccinations.

Mike Hurley, the president of the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters Association, said fire crews are responding to an increasing number of medical calls because of the flu, but they can't get the vaccine.

"Firefighters were going to start this week and be a priority to be immunized against the disease. Something happened last Friday and that all changed, and we seem to be knocked down the priority list now," said Hurley.