Alberta Health Service apologizes in Flames swine flu controversy

PRINT EMAIL FACEBOOK DIGG TWITTER RSS SHARE

The Flames are under fire for cutting ahead of Calgary's citizens in the rush for vaccine. Gerry Thomas/NHLI via Getty Images

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) -- A senior staff member for Alberta Health Services was fired for giving the Calgary Flames swine flu shots while thousands of people waited in line for the vaccine last week.

The board, which reports directly to the Alberta provincial government, won't name who was dismissed on 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 in a news release. "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 on Tuesday the players and their families received their shots on 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.

The revelation angered many people who have criticized Alberta's swine flu vaccine rollout, which was plagued by long lineups before it was shut down on Saturday.

Other sports teams in Canada, including the Edmonton Oilers and the NBA's Toronto Raptors have said they did not seek or get preferential H1N1 vaccines for their players.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.