Gibbs: Gitmo Detainees Don't Have H1N1 Vaccine Yet
Reports spread recently that Gitmo detainees will be getting the H1N1 vaccine ahead of many American citizens. Reuters reports that White House spokesman Robert Gibbs made a statement that there is no H1N1 vaccine in Guantanamo and no vaccine on the way to Guantanamo. However, Gibbs did not promise that detainees in Guantanamo won't get the vaccine ahead of U.S. citizens.
"There is no vaccine in Guantanamo and there's no vaccine on the way to Guantanamo," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said at his daily briefing, although a Pentagon spokesman said detainees at the base could receive it late this month.
After Gibbs' comment, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said detainees at Guantanamo would receive the vaccine only after active duty troops, deployed U.S. contractors and civilians and civilians working for the Department of Defense.
Americans have been lining up for the vaccine to protect against the H1N1 swine flu virus, which has killed at least 1,000 Americans and infected an estimated 5 million.
After Gibbs comments, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman gave more specifics. He said, "Gitmo doesn't have any vaccine and is not expected to receive any vaccine for some time, probably late November at the earliest."
It sounds like the only reason Gitmo detainees don't have the H1N1 vaccine is because the government hasn't been any better about producing the vaccine for them then it has for the U.S. population. Late November would still mean Gitmo detainees receive the vaccine ahead of many American citizens that want it. Let's just make it easy and say no vaccine for Gitmo detainees until every American that wants it has had it.
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