Wall Street bankers among first to receive scarce H1N1 vaccine

Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and Morgan Stanley were among the first employers in New York to receive shipments of the H1N1 antidote this week.

The possibly preferential treatment has angered many people. The guardian.co.uk reports Christopher Dodd, Democratic senator from Connecticut, said he was "stunned" that top banks had received vaccines when a shortage of doses has led to lengthy queues at clinics and hospitals across the US. "Vaccines should go to people who need them most, not people who happen to work on Wall Street," added Dodd. Dodd has also sent a protest letter to the US health secretary, Kathleen Sebelius. The shipments have been confirmed by New York's health department. It seems that Citigroup wanted 7,200 doses but got 1,200; Goldman Sachs sought 5,400 and received 200. According to the guardian.co.uk, a spokeswoman said distributing vaccines in workplaces would "alleviate stress and pressure from community healthcare settings and hospitals". Pediatric and pregnancy clinics had already received doses. Apparently, the reason the banks received the vaccine as they were among the first to apply. The banks were surprised by the reaction saying they had asked for doses in common with scores of other employers - including New York City's universities, healthcare companies and the media group Time Warner. Only employees who fall into the high risk categories, including pregnant women, diabetics and employees suffering from cancer or liver disease will receive the vaccine. "Like other responsible employers in New York City, we requested the vaccine and will supply it only to employees who qualify under guidelines laid down by the Centres for Disease Control," a Goldman Sachs spokesman told the guardian.co.uk. The perception of high paid bankers getting immunized before those who were forced to wait in line at public clinics did not resound well. Anna Burger, secretary treasurer of America's biggest healthcare workers' union, the SEIU, told the guardian.co.uk: "It's obscene that Wall Street bankers think they are entitled to private shipments of H1N1 vaccinations while health-care workers, pregnant women, and other at-risk Americans are either waiting in line for hours or getting turned away because of shortages."