Everybody knows there is a shortage of flu shots. Those with the greatest risk should be first in line at getting a flu shot. There are lines everywhere across America for them. People are even crossing into Canada in order to obtain a flu shot. But who are the ones with the greatest risk?
Just last week, my teammates and I were to get flu shots here at SUU. Is it fair to give flu shots to athletes just because they are athletes when there is a shortage? Aren't athletes labeled as healthy? Why should athletes be getting flu shots when pregnant women, the elderly, and other people need them more?
I had teammates complain because they had to get a shot. This one shot they had could have been given to another person and in turn save their life. Instead my teammate complains because her shoulder hurts where they poked her. Is this right? Should we really be giving flu shots to athletes who complain about them instead of giving them to someone who needs it?
2 comments:
As far as athletes getting flu shots, is anyone aware that although we are in the middle of a major vaccine shortage that many Chicago Bulls players selflishly received flu shots and did not feel bad doing so. They cited the fact that they are continually traveling and needed it. On the other side, many Chicago Bears players turned down the shot citing that they are healthy and that someone else should recieve it that needed it more.
This is what economists call non-price rationing. It isn't very pretty (remember hearing about that when you learned about price ceilings?).
Here's a good one. My kids are at risk (they both have already had pneumonia this year). So that puts my wife and I on the list for a recommended shot. Here's the punch line - I'm the only one of us that can get the shot at SUU. I am the healthiest of the four of us, and I will get the shot first while the others wait.
BTW: My guess is that athletes get flu shots as a public health move. The key to containing any contagious disease is to keep the people who move from place to place from taking it with them. The public health people will even tell you that if they could get "the public" out of the decision making process that they could nip most outbreaks in the bud by vaccinating the right 20% of the population.
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