Short sighted

The WRHA’s handling of the H1N1 vaccinations would almost be amusing if it wasn’t a potential health crisis.

Apparently lineups at today’s clinics are so light that the WRHA has expanded its priority list and is publicly calling for more people to attend. Spokesperson Heidi Graham tells the CBC:

We really want to get the word out because we know there has been lots of media reports about long lineups and so people may be staying away because they fear long lineups.

Heidi, there weren’t just media reports of long lineups, there were actually some really damn long lineups! And I think the word of mouth about the situation was actually worse than the media reports. Seriously, how many times have you heard the words ridiculous, stupid or idiotic used to describe the clinic fiasco in the past week?

Which brings me to an observation about how short sighted the WRHA has been in this whole situation. In yesterday’s Freep, Dr. Sande Harlos said the health authority couldn’t have enforced priority lists during the first week of vaccinations because it would have required extra staff to do screenings.

Yet, the WRHA spends millions on PR staff like Ms. Graham, on its bimonthly magazine, and on trinkets like branded golf shirts and frisbees. This is done in an effort to create a positive image of the organization and foster goodwill with the public.

But all of that is easily undone when you force people to stand in four or five hour lineups (sometimes outside) with their children. Or when you tell them they’re a priority one week, but you might not have any vaccine for them the next. Or when you build up expectations that anyone can get vaccinated, only to backtrack a few days later.

You can spend all you want on PR, but unless you do your core job well then there’s not much point.