Chaos leads to cancellation of 2nd flu clinic

Traffic snakes along Torrance and Redondo Beach streets Saturday as people wait for H1N1 flu shots at the Beach Cities Health District in Redondo Beach.

[Obamarama]

Boom. Roasted.

[Jaanie]

Posted: Tuesday, 27 October 2009 6:19AM

Swine Flu Vaccine to be Rationed at LA Co. Clinics

LOS ANGELES (CBS)― Lines ran long this weekend at public health clinics as crowds waited to get the H1N1 vaccine.



With a reportedly scare supply of vaccines L.A. health officials are forced to ration them out.



Now, only CDC-designated priority groups will get the free vaccine at public health clinics. That includes pregnant women, people between six months and 24 year old, people who live with or care for infants under six months of age and health care and emergency services personnel.



People between the ages of 25 and 64 will only be eligible for the vaccine if they have health conditions that put them at a higher risk for flu-related complications, such as asthma, cancer, diabetes, a blood disorder or a compromised immune system.



A questionnaire will be handed to people as they enter the clinic and answering 'no' to any of the questions disqualifies you from getting the vaccine. Officials are urging people to save themselves time by reviewing the form online before coming to a clinic.



To see if you are eligible for the H1N1 vaccine click here.



To monitor the situation and whether the prerequisites change, check back with the Department of Public Health or check with your doctor or health care provider.

CBS Broadcasting, Inc.

[SouthBayUninsure d]

We were there. If I could get a job that would allow me to pay my bills and provide for my family, I'd gladly have went to a doctor's office. We were told by BCHD to NOT get there before 8:45 or TPD would tell us to move. Instead, we watched law enforcement allow line cutters and merge traffic from the spot we were told not to be. They said their orders changed, and traffic was not well planned. Agreed, it should've been planned as a community special event with LA County law enforcement included. hahaha, it needed a cool headed wedding planner in charge!

[redondo resident]

on sat, the same day as the redondo beah clinic i went to the wilmington site...i waited maybe 10mins at most for the h1n1 vaccine. i highly recommend going there. im pretty sure its going on again there in nov.

[Community Member]

Instead of figuring out a better mouse trap, it was decided to just let the mice run all over the place. What a pathetic organization. OK, you made a mistake. Can't you figure out a solution other than just give up?!?!

For those of you who want the Obama Care plan, these kinds of things are what we will be facing. Long lines, then the care givers will just give up because they can't handle the demands.

[Vic]

Community Member wrote:

Instead of figuring out a better mouse trap, it was decided to just let the mice run all over the place. What a pathetic organization. OK, you made a mistake. Can't you figure out a solution other than just give up?!?!
For those of you who want the Obama Care plan, these kinds of things are what we will be facing. Long lines, then the care givers will just give up because they can't handle the demands.

I had Govt. run health care for over 8 years. The full ride, physical, mental, teeth, eyes, prescriptions all fully covered. It was called the US Navy. It looked a whole lot like that nightmare last Saturday. I, for the life of me, cannot understand how ANY reasonably sane person can go through what happened last Saturday and STILL support Govt. run health care. Folks, THIS IS IT. This is what it looks like.

[JLK]

I'm pleased with the global response to H1N1. Even if not a serious pandemic, it's good preparation in case there is one in the future -- saw a cool site; Balkingpoints ; incredible satellite view of earth

[Hiram]

I'm amazed that all you people are so afaid of this bug. Have you ever had the flu before? Well, this is the flu. I'm 64 and I have never had a flu shot and I never will. What a bunch of sissy hypochondriacs this country has turned into. Although the official name for this disease is H1N1 swine flu it should go down in history as the Media Hype flu of 2009.

[Vic]

Hiram wrote:

I'm amazed that all you people are so afaid of this bug. Have you ever had the flu before? Well, this is the flu. I'm 64 and I have never had a flu shot and I never will. What a bunch of sissy hypochondriacs this country has turned into. Although the official name for this disease is H1N1 swine flu it should go down in history as the Media Hype flu of 2009.

I have never had the flu either Hiram, and I am 68. I understand that if you do get it it is fairly unpleasant. I don't see getting a quick, free shot to prevent several days of misery as unduly alarmist.

[Congrats]

Hiram wrote:

I'm amazed that all you people are so afaid of this bug. Have you ever had the flu before? Well, this is the flu. I'm 64 and I have never had a flu shot and I never will. What a bunch of sissy hypochondriacs this country has turned into. Although the official name for this disease is H1N1 swine flu it should go down in history as the Media Hype flu of 2009.

Good job Hiram, you have officially turned into that old cranky man you made fun of in your youth! Let people do what they feel is best to protect themselves. Relax and enjoy life a little.

[Super Grover]

Why is it a surprise that everyone showed up for the free clinic when the vaccine is not available anywhere else yet?

[manhattan_beach_ dude]

Good ,ungrateful people, what the hell are folks fron SD and Santa barbara doing driving to the So Bay for shots.

[Vic]

Super Grover wrote:

Why is it a surprise that everyone showed up for the free clinic when the vaccine is not available anywhere else yet?

You have, of course, put your finger on it Super. I hear a great deal of criticism about all the cheap skates coming into Redondo for the shots. Here is a front page bulletin for the masses: People came here in droves for the shots, because they are not readily available elsewhere!!!!! Got it? Hard to find!!!!! Not a matter of price but of avalibility!!!! Man, some people you have to draw a picture.

[Raj]

What's shocking is 99% of the people on line were not "poor" in the traditional sense. They were white, middle class, nice cars and younger.

Who says the recession is over.

This wasa scene out of a 3rd world nation.

[Just me -]

You mean they will have to get out of their cars to get their free shots? Those poor people! Something should be done about it. It's not right to make people get out of their cars to get things, especially when they are free.

[Inglewood]

There is a vaccination clinic in Inglewood this Friday and Saturday at Hollywood Park Race Track.. At least that is a venue that can handle this type of turnout.

[RB Surfer]

Some of you people need to understand a few things before you comment:

1) The people that set this up had said (through their flyers) that this was a DRIVE-THRU event and that people not in their cars would NOT get a vaccination. It wasn't the people's choice to line up in cars.

2) Other clinics, the day before, had thousands of people show up. This should've been a wake-up call for the city and police. They should've had an emergency meeting to re-evaluate their current plan and adjust accordingly. There was no excuse for the chaos that ensued.

3) So many people showed up not because it was free, it was because it's not available else where. They should've made it available through schools and ob/gyn and other places that service the priority groups first. The free clinics should be the last since it would obviously have the largest crowds.

4) People who say "I never got sick before and I never got a flu shot" are scientifically ignorant. They are the same people that say George Burns smoked all his life and he live to a ripe old age of whatever. This is a serious strain of the flu virus because it affects children and pregnant women disproportionately. Ask any infectious disease doctor what he thinks about the H1N1 flu and what he's seen in the last few months and you will sing a different tune. It's your every right not to get the vaccine but please don't spread false rumors and get your facts straight before posting.

[Keith Stevens]

The White House can't even manage vaccine after months of knowing this was coming and our two US Senators are voting to turn over our families health care to the Government. Yikes. Yikes.
Trusting Feinstein and Boxer was a horrific, maybe even deadly, mistake. We will see how many die from swine flu as a result.

[Vic]

RB Surfer wrote:

Some of you people need to understand a few things before you comment:
1) The people that set this up had said (through their flyers) that this was a DRIVE-THRU event and that people not in their cars would NOT get a vaccination. It wasn't the people's choice to line up in cars.
2) Other clinics, the day before, had thousands of people show up. This should've been a wake-up call for the city and police. They should've had an emergency meeting to re-evaluate their current plan and adjust accordingly. There was no excuse for the chaos that ensued.
3) So many people showed up not because it was free, it was because it's not available else where. They should've made it available through schools and ob/gyn and other places that service the priority groups first. The free clinics should be the last since it would obviously have the largest crowds.
4) People who say "I never got sick before and I never got a flu shot" are scientifically ignorant. They are the same people that say George Burns smoked all his life and he live to a ripe old age of whatever. This is a serious strain of the flu virus because it affects children and pregnant women disproportionately. Ask any infectious disease doctor what he thinks about the H1N1 flu and what he's seen in the last few months and you will sing a different tune. It's your every right not to get the vaccine but please don't spread false rumors and get your facts straight before posting.

Good post surfer, in point 2 you seem to think that bureaucrats are expected to have some vision or foresight pr even common sense. What would make you come to this conclusion?

[RB Surfer]

Vic, I don't expect them to have foresight. I can understand if they initially misjudged the outcome. But like I mentioned previously, the other clinics (like in Culver City and Encino) had their event on Friday, a day before Redondo Beach. Those other clinics had a HUGE turnout. I'm saying that in light of this fact, they had time (yes, it wasn't a lot of time), but enough time, I feel, to come up with a contingency plan.

Like how/where to line up the cars, pass out flyers detailing the correct route/line, etc.

I'm just glad my pregnant wife and I decided to go to Wilmington after we saw the chaos that morning. What's the purpose of waiting in a line that you don't even know is the "official" line??