Make Olympians a priority for H1N1 shots: official

Canada's Olympic team should receive the swine flu vaccine on a priority basis to prevent an outbreak at the Winter Games, the team's top medical officer said amid reports that Canadian athletes who come down with the virus may be placed in quarantine

Bob McCormack, chief medical officer for Canada's Olympic team, told CBC News the Olympics provide a potential breeding ground for the H1N1 virus and that provides justification for making athletes a priority for the vaccine.

"The Olympics is where the viruses of the world come to meet," Bowman said. "If you have hundreds of countries getting together with thousands of athletes in a small, contained area of the village it's a breeding ground for viruses."

Athletes' bodies are also under the stress of high-level training, which can affect the immune system, he said.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said it has already decided not to give Olympic athletes vaccination on apriority basis because they have lots of time to get the shot before the competition.

But McCormack said many athletes have a busy schedule leading into the Vancouver Games in February and should be able to receive it now. He would like to see athletes vaccinated before many begin leaving Canada for pre-Olympic competitions beginning in November.

Canada has invested large sums of money into ensuring the team's success at the event. "If we end up with an outbreak in the Canadian team, it could have a devastating impact on our goals of being the No. 1 medal nation," he said.

No quarantine: IOC

University of Toronto bioethicist Kerry Bowman said that when pregnant women and aboriginal communities are at a high risk of being infected by the virus, treating athletes on a priority basis could be seen as offensive.

"What some people in the public may certainly say is this is just a privileged group and in fact they are being jumped to the front of the queue," Bowman said. "That may offend some Canadians."

The International Olympic Committee has said it will not quarantine athletes who get sick at the Games.

But Canadian officials have told athletesif they are sick at the Games there is a possibility they will be moved away from the rest of Team Canada and potentially removed from the Olympic village, said CBC correspondent Teddy Katz.

"They can't afford to take the risk that this thing will spread through more than one team or perhaps the entire team," Katz said.

'Imagine how Canada would react'

Figure skater Anabelle Langlois thought thatCanadians might not favour the athletes getting the vaccine first now, but they might feel differently if the virus does hit during the Games.

"I can't imagine how Canada would react if the entire men's hockey team would be wiped out from the H1N1 and wouldn't compete," Langlois said.

Figure skater Cody Hay said he is now considering seeking out the vaccine because of the possibility of quarantine.

But his pairs partner, Langlois, said she still wants to research the vaccine more before deciding if she will get the shot.

Because of doping regulations, athletes can be restricted in terms of what medications they can take if they do fall ill at the Games, Katz said. Other athletes and their coaches may be opposed to taking a flu shot because of concerns it may give them symptoms of the illness during their training routines ahead of the Olympics, he said.

McCormack said he is advising all Canadian athletes to get the vaccine.