One of the teachers at my school told me that she just received the h1n1 vaccine.

The CDC guidelines are as follows: 

CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended that certain groups of the population receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine when it first becomes available. These target groups include pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.

The teacher is a healthy woman in her late 40s.  She has no pre-existing health condition.  She does not live with anyone who has any respiratory health conditions.  She does not spend time with small children (other than the kids in her class) that are at high risk for h1n1.   She is not pregnant.  She said her doctor, who she has been going to for years, held some for her and her family and the office called to tell them to come in and get her vaccine. 

 There are students at my school who have not received the vaccine because they are waiting for a clinic, as they don't have insurance.  When they do get sick, they stay home and miss school.  They cannot get antiviral medication because they don't have insurance.  Granted, this is not all of the students.  My school is has families with a wide range of economic status and levels of employment; everything from double income silicon valley professionals to multiple families living off the combined minimum wage and day labor pay of the adults and teens in the family.  This flu has made these lines more apparent. 

I recently called my doctor about getting the flu vaccine.  I had heard I was in a high-risk group, because I have a chronic health condition and take an immunosuppressant.  My health condition is neuromuscular and can impact the respiratory system, although I am doing very well and haven't had any serious complications in a couple of years.  The mortality rate for people with my condition who get h1n1 is 100% - but there have only been two known cases.  My doctor told me to go ahead and get the seasonal flu vaccine, but not the h1n1.  Even though I met the guidelines, my risk of complications from h1n1 wasn't great enough to get the vaccine. 

So why did this other teacher get the vaccine?  Insurance.  She has nice, private insurance, paid for by her husband's company.  Her family has seen the same private practice family doctor for years and years.  Her family physician, looking out for her, called to make sure she got the vaccine even though she doesn't meet the CDC guidelines.  She is the medically privileged.  Sure, I am medically privileged too - but I have a doctor that has the social responsibility to recognize the need and risk involved with equitable distribution of the vaccine.  My fellow teacher, apparently, does not.  

Universal coverage of health care would even this out.  Guidelines would be set and someone other than your doctor would be making the decision as to who would get the vaccine or not.  That is what is supposed to happen today, but there are doctors who area apparently ignoring the CDC guidelines.    My doctor weighed my risks and decided that even though I am within the guidelines, and would be a reasonable candidate for the vaccine, there is a greater need elsewhere.  Maybe the vaccine that would have gone to me can go to one of my students or someone at higher risk for complications from the flu.  

So yes, with universal healthcare, there would be someone between you and your doctor, making a decision about equitable distribution of a vaccine that for some will make the difference between life and death.   That works for me.