Washtenaw County H1N1 flu vaccine clinic still distributing wristbands
Inside the EMU Convocation Center, health workers used signs to help move people through the H1N1 clinic.
Mark Bialek | For AnnArbor.com
The Washtenaw County H1N1 or swine flu vaccine clinic has been running smoothly and still had about a third of its remaining wristbands available hours after it began distributing them this morning.
Health workers said about 2,000 people had already received their wristbands or were standing in line at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center. An estimated 3,000 vaccines are available to be distributed today.
The line is currently very short for getting wristbands to return for the vaccine, officials said. The line to get vaccinated once a person has a wristband is estimated at about an hour.
Wristbands for time slots between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. will be distributed later today.
Mary McCloud, a Washtenaw County Public Health nurse, gives a nasal vaccine to a patient at the EMU Convocation Center today.
Mark Bialek | For AnnArbor.com
During each time slot, an estimated 400 vaccines can be distributed.
Several in line said it was moving more quickly than expected, and workers say the line has remained substantially shorter than earlier this morning, when it zigzagged across the sidewalks. About 500 people showed up in line to wait before the clinic opened.
Today is the county's fourth mass vaccination clinic for the H1N1 flu vaccine. Demand has been high at each event, but each has been a bit different and has run with varying degrees of efficiency as both the county and its residents adjust to the situation of supply outstripping demand for vaccines.
A clinic with about 2,000 doses of vaccine held at Pioneer High School last weekend ran out of wristbands - which indicate a person has been screened and a dose is available for that person - within the first hour of the clinic. But at a clinic held previously at EMU's Convocation Center with about 4,000 doses, only about 2,500 doses were distributed as crowds waned later in the day.
For those who have not yet been vaccinated, more doses will be arriving this week, but plans to distribute that in a mass vaccination clinic are pending because county health officials say they may not want to hold a clinic during the holidays when many people are unavailable.
Physicians' offices have been getting more doses of the vaccine lately, county's health officer Dick Fleece said. More supply is also expected in December to get it out to more individuals.
Robert Petersen, 12, of Ann Arbor gets the swine flu vaccination Sunday at the EMU Convocation Center.
Mark Bialek | For AnnArbor.com
On Thursday, the first death of a Washtenaw County resident with the H1N1 or swine flu virus was confirmed by county health officials.
Today's vaccine clinic is distributing it only to those in high priority groups because there is still a shortage of the vaccine.
Those groups include:
• Pregnant.
• Caregivers of children younger than 6 months.
• Between the ages of 6 months and 24 years.
• Adults between 25 and 64 with underlying health conditions that put them at greater risk of having complications from the flu. Those health conditions include chronic lung disease, a weakened immune system, cancer, diabetes, kidney or liver disorders, cardiovascular disease and other conditions.
• Healthcare workers who provide direct patient care.
Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.
Comments
Graz
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 9:19 a.m.
Thanks, Edward for including further information that is from known sources. I agree that it a person's own choice as to whether or not they vaccinate themselves and their family. But just remember that this is a communicable disease and as such, if you come in contact with someone that is sick, take the proper precautions. That said, you have to remember that any and all medications can have serious side effects. Even asprin can cause certain people very serious issues. Some of the sources that have been cited for arguments against the vaccine aren't very reliable and some are months old. H1N1 has hit much earlier than other rounds of flu, and just like other types, can be deadly. This extreme reaction against vaccines by some makes me think that they've failed to remember history. Terrible diseases such as small pox, polio and German measles have all been rendered non-existant for all intents and purposes. There are certain issues where we need push our government to do better, but this distrust in everything that they do is remarkable. You need to remember that most people working in the government are decent people with their own families and strong love of their country. They wouldn't sit idly by, or even actively participate while someone tried to harm so many Americans.
Ricebrnr
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 6:34 p.m.
So you're saying because your chances of dying in a car accident is 250,000 to 1, that seat belts are ok but airbags or accident insurance is uneccessary?
wolverine4lyfe
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 3:44 p.m.
This a pretty intense discussion here and around the world really. When I saw this official statement: In a normal round of flu, about 250,000 people worldwide succumb to garden variety flu, and this year, H1N1 or no H1N1, the numbers rolling in are consistent with past years. As of October 30, about 5,000 worldwide have died of the H1N1 strain of flu, including approximately 100 Canadians. Chances of dying of H1N1 are 250,000 to one. You are 20 times more likely to die in a car accident than you are of dying of H1N1. I made up my mind my family didnt need the vaccine, no thanks!! and Im shocked to hear some people are still playing the vaccine game with numbers like that. Take care of yourselves, hydration, vitamin C, D and H1N1, whatever that is, doesnt stand a chance in the first place!! Ciao!
a2hometown
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 3:23 p.m.
Thanks for opening discussuon first of all. I don't believe for even a microsecond that if Obama didn't want his girls to receive the vaccine, that they actually did. All it takes is one whisper to his White House physician "I don't want my kids to get this shot" but it needs to appear to be the case either way. Obama is actually a poor example because quite honestly he will be damned if he does and damned if he doesn't on this particular issue. There was no winning choice, he went with the easier choice to avoid further loss of public favor. Again, however, that does not at all mean his kids truly received the vaccines, just that's the story wants to release at this time for a variety of reasons. Thimerosol is just one of the many dangers in live vaccines. The live virus is highly contaminated, mistakes happen ALL the time in the labs, and most shockingly for the first time in history, little to NO testing has been done on this vaccine. That's the disclaimer if you will we are getting straight from the CDC! De-population theories aside, many people are seriously starting to wonder "What's going on?"
a2hometown
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 2:26 p.m.
I appreciate that you may be trying to keep the peace in this thread but the only assertions going on around here are this thread existing in the first place and "asserting" that vaccines are something people should all run out and get. Edward, I'm sure your just doing your job but if you could potentially save another human's life would you not do so? So I ask, what precisely are you so worried about, really? Here is my suggestion, detach yourself as much as you can from the pro-vaccination crowd because a year down the road you are gonna have hordes of people looking for answers and if you associate with the problem than you are not helping yourself. Remember Ed, doctors themselves don't give their children these vaccines, Obama did NOT want Sascha and Malia to get them but under immense pressure they had to do something and there is speculation they also didn't actually get the shots and/or had a filtered safe as possible shot, not the one the fine people around here are getting. In closing the comments you removed add more to the discussion than you are perhaps comfortable with. Whatever makes you sleep at night.
blueeyedpupil
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 12:18 p.m.
I was so impressed with how well the clinic was run at the EMU convocation center on sunday. We arrived at about 815am and were done and back waiting for the bus by 1040am. Everyone was kind and efficient. As one of those who had bus issues at the previous clinic, i appreciated the time this clinic was held. Im quite relieved to have gotten my shot. Now i can worry less. thanks to all at washtenaw county public health for their concern and thanks also to all the volunteers.
ToddAustin
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 8:54 a.m.
We got our vaccinations at the EMU clinic and it was quick and easy. There was a line at 10 a.m. for wristbands (about 40 minutes), but by the time I had ours, that line was essentially gone. Returning at 2:30 for the shots, there was no more than 10 minutes of wait until we were being processed. Another 15 minutes for paperwork and the shots, and we were ready to go. We had been to the previous event at EMU and gave up when confronted with several hours of waiting. They clearly have worked out the bugs. Well done!
Kristin Judge
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 8:52 a.m.
Please find out the facts before finding fault with our Public Health department. Absolutely NO vaccine will be stored. All vaccine that comes in to the county is distributed to doctors, hospitals and through clinics. Go to ewashtenaw.org to get more information. These nurses and staff are giving up their weekends for our safety. I am thankful to live in this community.
Larry Shaffer
Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 10:20 p.m.
To Public Health Officials: Please don't forget that the main goal in stopping a pandemic is to get the most people immunized as fast as possible. Of course preferrence is for those that are the most vulnerable. BUT leaving vaccine in storage for another week or two is IN NO WAY STRATEGIC. It just leaves 1000 - 4000 people without protection even longer. BETTER TACTIC: Give shots all week (somewhere). Let the general population have access to left over vaccine each week. Vaccinate as fast as humanly possible. The opportunity cost of waiting is tragedy for someone.
Ricebrnr
Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 10:15 p.m.
A2hometown, instead of spewing tinfoil hat rhetoric,could I prevail upon you to educate us who might be willing to listen, if only you'd dial down the vitriol and more importantly back up your diatribe? Who's getting paralized? Are you referring to Guillain-Barre syndrome? Yes it and other known side-effects of vaccines can be detrimental. This may be of no consolation to those that are affected but yes its all a bet, a hedge based on the statistics the you are VERY MUCH more likely to benefit against the worst outcome of all. DEATH The fact that we've about eradicated many diseases through vaccinations is a comfort to me as a parent. No more iron lungs for polio, small-pox or whooping cough are all horrible diseases that our parents and their parents still had to see in their youth. That we do not in countries with health departments and vigorous vaccination programs is a miracle.
elligur
Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 9:36 p.m.
What I don't understand is how come the Pioneer clinic ran out of vaccines within half an hour and the Convocation clinic today had plenty left over. My wife and kids went over to Pioneer and couldn't get vaccinated, so we didn't even try today at EMU. It would be nice to have a more even distribution of vaccines at every clinic.
Isanopinion
Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 6:31 p.m.
I am not sure why name calling is even happening on this site. I stopped calling people names when I was in first or second grade...
RB
Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 6:21 p.m.
While everyone is welcome to an opinion concerning the H1N1 vaccine, I don't think calling people who choose to get the H1N1 vaccination "simple minded" and "drones" is appropriate.
a2hometown
Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 5:42 p.m.
Isanopinion, if you are "treating" people with the so called swine flu, well than you are part of the problem. You also obviously didn't do your homework and don't have a remote clue of what is in those vaccines. Doctor's don't give their own kids these vaccines. All this stuff is coming out of the woodwork and pharma + the ridiculous medical industry which has helped us drive our econonmy into the ground. All your faults are starting to come out now as people get more and mor educated. You are a drone despite what you say/think. You may not feel symptoms or side effects right away. The people becoming paralyzed or dieing from the vaccine may have different immune systems. 6 months down the road when you start to feel a little not right is when it will hit you. You've been warned. Yes its definately YOUR choice that much is certain. Instead of letting the human immune system which is the most powerful, intricate, sophisticated system known (but not really known, that's where the doctors and pharma have been fooling people forever with their witch doctory) you instead inject yourself with known toxins which if you know anything about vaccines has absolutely no benefit to your body and can literally kill you. YOUR choice, yup, a misinformed bad outcome is all that you and the rest of the drones get.
Kristin Judge
Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 5:10 p.m.
No line right now, friendly nurses, it is free, and healthy kids up to age 6 months to 24 are able to get vaccinated! Open till 7pm.
Isanopinion
Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 4:03 p.m.
a2hometown, why do you believe that he died from the vaccination? He never received the vaccine. How did they hide the guy from Dexter death at the bottom? You seem so angry about something. Are you OK? I believe that everyone has a choice they can make about whether or not to be vaccinated. People have strong arguments on both sides of the issue. I was vaccinated and have had no side effects. I have treated many people with H1N1 and have protected myself from getting sick. The good news is that I was given the CHOICE whether I wanted the vaccination, and I made the choice that I felt was best for me and my family. I am not a drone, and I do think for myself.
a2hometown
Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 3:26 p.m.
are there this many simple minded people who can't think for themselves and knowingly inject themselves with poisons and toxins? Did anyone notice how they conveniently hide the Dexter guys death at the bottom? He didn't die from the swine flu, he died from the vaccine and I guarantee the same pharma companies pushing this crap in the media/news are trying to hide that from getting out to the public. Get your eyes open people and begin to think for yourselves. Stop being drones.
Ricebrnr
Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 1:53 p.m.
Hmm can anyone tell me if perhaps other than the 100 additional doses, if geography made a big difference? Is the Convocation center more difficult to get to than Pioneer?
grs
Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 12:43 p.m.
Just got back from the clinic. Very well run this time around. (Drove by the debacle of the first clinic at WISD and didn't attempt 1st Convocation clinic.) Volunteers and county health staff were great. People waiting for the shot were patient and pleasant. Took just under an hour from start to finish for me to get my shot.
CobaltBlue
Sun, Nov 22, 2009 : 12:41 p.m.
Why NOT have it over the holidays? Some people will be more available. Different times work for different people. The flu doesn't take a holiday.