In the beginning, there was panic.
When health officials in Canada began planning for a pandemic it was early summer, and although there were a few cases of the H1N1 virus popping up over the country, it was nothing that would be coming our way during the colder months – or so they said. Everyone should get vaccinated, they said.
As the temperature dropped and the death toll rose so did the sense of panic. Then, there was frenzy.
The government, instead of calming Canadians' fears, has done a pathetic job of handling the issue. First, there was the lack of vaccinations and ridiculously long waiting lines for those wanting them. Then, when people were being turned away due to a shortage of the vaccine, news surfaced that extra vaccine for the H1N1 virus has been exported because producers are making more vaccine than can be stored in bottles.
Canada's chief public health officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones, admitted that GlaxoSmithKline has shipped bulk quantities of the antigen, the main ingredient of the vaccine, out of the country.
Butler-Jones said the bulk exports were allowed because Canada had enough for its needs. Really? Tell that to those who couldn't get a shot.In June, officials considered getting the excess bottled somewhere else but decided against it.How did health officials manage to severely mess up the numbers of vaccinations that would be needed?
Thousands of people across Canada have lined up for hours to get vaccinated and many clinics have had to close, overwhelmed by the demand. How was it possible that the government could not foresee the problem of a shortage of staff to administer the vaccine?
As if that wasn’t enough, conflicting messages from Ottawa Public Health confused some parents about who currently qualifies to receive an H1N1 vaccination.
The City of Ottawa is currently only vaccinating priority groups, including children between six months and five years of age.
But a letter signed by Ottawa's medical officer of health, Dr. Isra Levy, dated Oct. 30, suggests that all school-age children were eligible for the vaccine.
The letter has been posted on several school websites and has given many parents the impression that all school-age children were eligible
But enter Premier Dalton McGuinty, who says his government's biggest concern right now is persuading all 13 million Ontario residents they need to get vaccinated. Perhaps before he begins his convincing, officialdom should get its story straight and not send mixed messages.
Canada’s health minister said she was surprised by the panic among Canadians. Surprised? Who was it that was responsible for the panic in the first place? The World Health Organization, public health officials and politicians, aided and abetted by an uncritical, gullible media, that’s who. The world faced the worst pandemic since 1917, they said hundreds of thousands around the globe were going to die.
No wonder people panicked. Now, we’re told by some that the pandemic isn’t quite as bad as first advertised. In the meantime, the pharmaceuticals and the manufacturers of other flu-related paraphernalia are laughing all the way to the bank. Is this any way to run a pandemic?