Wall St. Gets Hands on H1N1 Vaccine

Goldman Sachs, Citigroup NYC's Largest Employers Receiving Doses of Flu Vaccine

(AP)  Some of New York City's largest employers - including Wall Street firms like Goldman Sachs and big universities - have started receiving doses of the much-in-demand H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine for their at-risk employees.

The government-funded vaccine is being distributed to states, where health departments decide where to send the limited doses. In New York, health officials are allowing businesses with onsite medical staff to apply for the vaccine.

Doctors for large companies can ask for the vaccine along with other doctors but must agree to vaccinate only high-risk employees like pregnant women and those with chronic illnesses, said Jessica Scaperotti, a spokeswoman for New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

For more on this story, visit CBSNews.com's Econwatch.

Last month, the city began offering vaccine to schoolchildren, as well as pediatricians and obstetricians who asked for it. Scaperotti said only half of the pediatricians in New York City have requested vaccine.

"As the vaccine became more available we expanded it to adult providers," Scaperotti said. She called the large employers "a great avenue for vaccinating people at risk."

But a critic said Wall Street firms shouldn't have access to the vaccine before less wealthy Americans.

"Wall Street banks have already taken so much from us. They've taken trillions of our tax dollars. They've taken away people's homes who are struggling to pay the bills," union official John VanDeventer wrote on the Service Employees International Union Web site. "But they should not be allowed to take away our health and well-being."

CBSNews.com Special Report: H1N1 Virus

The union has about 2 million members, including health care workers.

The swine flu vaccine has been in short supply nationwide because of manufacturing delays, resulting in long lines at clinics and patients being turned away at doctor's offices. The vaccine started trickling out in early October, and there are now nearly 32 million doses available.

The government, which ordered 250 million doses, has recommended that the limited supply go first to high-risk groups: children and young people through age 24, people caring for infants under 6 months, pregnant women and health care workers.

Swine flu - which scientists call the 2009 H1N1 strain - is widespread throughout the country now, much earlier than seasonal flu usually hits.

Nationwide, about 90,000 sites are expected to receive vaccine - mainly hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices, county health departments and pharmacies.

Other big New York City employers that have received doses of the vaccine include Columbia University, Time Inc., the Federal Reserve Bank and several hospitals. The distribution was first reported by Business Week.

Goldman Sachs has received 200 doses and Citigroup has received 1,200, health officials said. So far, 800,000 doses have been delivered to 1,400 health-care providers in New York City, including public schools, pediatricians and hospitals.

Citigroup, "like many other large New York City employers, has partnered with the Department of Health to act as a distribution site for the H1N1 vaccine through the company's health clinics," the company said in a statement Thursday. "The vaccine is being provided only to employees in high-risk categories as defined by the CDC."

Goldman Sachs spokesman Ed Canaday said Thursday that the city's health department "decides in its sole discretion who receives the H1N1 vaccine - both the amount and timing."

"Goldman Sachs, like other responsible employers, has requested vaccine and will supply it only to employees who qualify," Canaday said.

While vaccinating children is a top priority for health officials, Scaperotti said only half of the pediatricians in New York City have asked for it.

Some pediatricians' offices that have received the vaccine, though, said the supply is not meeting the demand.

Manager Linda O'Hanlon at Uptown Pediatrics in Manhattan, said the office has received 500 doses so far - not enough for a practice with almost 7,000 patients.

"We have about 800 appointments" set up for patients who want to get vaccinated, she said.

[littlepinkhouse]

Now the vaccine clinics for public school children in Tacoma, Wa has been cancelled.
Only the elite, most expensive private school CWA - alias parents with connections, has had received it.
The local health department, I've heard, determines who gets the vaccines.

[littlepinkhouse]

Public schools in Tacoma,Washington haven't received any h1n1 vaccines.Clinics, where people from all public schools would line up at the one clinic for what is available held at one public school have been canceled- the Pierce county Health Departments web site, some clinics are in December:
http://www.tpchd.org/page.php?id=499
The only school Pierce county sent to was in another town, at one public school, Puyallup, WA.

http://www.tpchd.org/page.php?id=499

The most expensive, elite private school, CWA,Tacoma, has received
H1N1 in October, the first supply sent out.
http://www.charleswright.org/spotlight/SwineFlu

Public school parents are calling daily various pharmacies, physician's offices trying to fine a shot for their child as of yet, no luck.

[dronemonk]

You'd better get it straight that it's not a bunch of boy scouts you're up against...First our Wall St overlords get the vaccine, THEN the serfs' hospitals get it. That's the way it is nowadays. We are no longer a nation of laws, we are now a nation of men, and bankers trump the low end wage slaves.

[nowhiningallowed]

Where was the outrage when it was being reported about vaccine being slated for US prisoners and Gitmo prisoners? Come on folks, where's your outrage? Maybe this is a partial down payment from the president for the millions Wall St. recently "donated" to him at his recent "fund raiser".

[burneb]

Its not a matter of who deserves vaccine the most. Prisons are usually high-risk settings because of confinement in close quarters. Its a real horror to have an epidemic where the patients must be locked up or guarded at all times. Inmates can't stay home from prison like others stay home from work or school. And if a lot of guards get sick, who replaces them 7x24 ?

[marilynlev]

If you can't get the vaccine, take good vitamins and herbal products
to strengthen your immune system. Dr. Schultz has excellent products.
1-800-herbdoc. ask for a free catalog.

[bobnjersey]

["Wall Street banks have already taken so much from us. They've taken trillions of our tax dollars. They've taken away people's homes who are struggling to pay the bills,"]

they've taken homes from people? where are they hiding these stolen homes?

[bubbadubba]

Of course the wealthy are getting the vaccine, they are the ones that released it on the world as one more part of their plan to manipulate money and take control of democracies.
Get real.

[hzp9q9]

Is anyone surprised that the rich get the vaccine before the needy? Harkens back to Charles Dickens. They are still playing the system.

[rightbehind]

They should have been last in line.

[provenstyle]

Hey if you ever imagined how things would be in Haiti if there was a meaningful opportunity to help the country grow, we?ll there?s a campaign called ?Love ?N Haiti? that is seeking to win a grant from World Challenge. World Challenge is a competition that is organized by BBC World News Limited and is aimed at finding projects or small businesses from around the world that have shown enterprise and innovation at a grass roots level. Port-au-Prince was selected as a city and your vote could help the people of Haiti to see a better life.

Please vote for Love ?N Haiti here:
http://www.theworldchallenge.co.uk/index.php

Watch President Bill Clinton talk about the program:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyNWb-ibfSY