26th October 2009

Some Women Waiting in Long Line for H1N1 Vaccine Show the Worst of Themselves

I have written often on my blog about the sisterhood of mothers.  I’m glad to be a part of these moms, especially those friends of mine who are working moms as they understand the challenges I face.  No disrespect to those women who can stay at home all day with their children, of course.  ;-)

Today was not one of those days, in part, due to the crazy women that I experienced on 23N headed to Delaware, OH for the H1N1 vaccine.  About 2 miles away from the clinic, held at Buckeye Valley School today from 3-8 p.m., there was a long line that formed in the center turn/merge lane.  I immediately got over in what I hoped was the H1N1 line.  After 40 minutes or so, I got out of the line just to make sure that I was truly in the H1N1 vaccine line, to turn onto Coover Road.

I’m not familiar with Delaware, and thus, couldn’t believe that this line could be so bad, so early into the vaccine clinic’s scheduled time (less than an hour after it started).  That was of course a mistake, as I then had to try to get back into the line.

What I observed in the line ahead of me were a number of women trying to get over and merge into the central lane, which I had left a few minutes prior.  But it was like watching walruses locking in to protect their young - no one was getting in and taking their spot for the vaccine.  I could see I was also in trouble.  Women were rolling down their windows and asking to be let in.  I finally did the same thing, and with a state trooper right behind me who did nothing to alleviate or improve the situation, this woman began to aim her car right at my car.  I asked her if she had children in her minivan, to which she said nothing.  I told her that we needed to work together, not fight one another in order to protect our children.  She scoffed at me, and told me that I better watch out and move out of the way, because she’d hit me if she had to.    I was shocked.

Luckily, another trooper put the fear in enough people that I was able to barely squeeze in a few cars ahead, but not because one person allowed me to integrate.  The Columbus Dispatch covers story from this evening

So what was the fuss about?

2,000 vaccines

preregistration encouraged - which had its own share of technical challenges, including printer problems that I still haven’t solved

I was in a community where there had been a H1N1 outbreak, including a 14-year old child that I believe died - although you’d have to check the details on that

Another child died over the weekend, likely due to H1N1, at age 3, in Ohio

Inadequate parking at the high school so the drivers were in a standstill formation on 23N and Coover Road for over an hour

Mothers and fathers were parking on the side of Coover Road, nearly a mile walk with their babies and young children in tow, so they could arrive at the high school before vaccine ran out

Melina and I parked in muddy grassylands, and strolled for nearly a mile over gravel, grass, mud, and less than safe conditions with baby supplies in the event we were there for a long time, only to arrive and be turned away less than a few minutes after we arrived, which was about 2 hours into the clinic

I found mothers and fathers to be very supportive of one another, once outside of their cars.  But get these women behind a sheet of metal, and the false protection of a mini-SUV or minivan, and some of these women really showed their asses today.

For us to set examples for our children, we need to show kindness, leadership, and collaboration.  This is the sisterhood I enjoy, and marvel in wherever I go.  Today was a sad exception.

That woman who did not let me in - likely did not get flu shot for her young children, if she had children under the age of 3.  All three year olds and parents were turned away by 4:45 this afternoon.

I observed a definite state of panic today.  I can only imagine what is to come, when weather dips into the freezing temperatures.  People need to take this seriously, because if today was just a small sign of how some will act when they think they’re not going to get their children vaccinated - what is it going to be like when there are more than 3 children deaths statewide?  I shutter to think.

We were turned away but we will continue to make this a priority in our lives so that Melina is protected against a very harmful virus, that could turn deadly for her, and thus is absolutely not worth risking further.

From an administrative & managerial perspective, I would recommend the following:

1) This site does not keep you up to date on upcoming clinics - you get more from the news - and don’t just watch one channel, flip around and Google it too - it might take you an hour to get accurate information https://h1n1vaccine.odh.ohio.gov/IndividualPodEnrollmentList.aspx

2) The site listed : https://h1n1vaccine.odh.ohio.gov/IndividualPodEnrollmentList.aspx - only lets you register for clinics in your county or city.  Thus, if you want to go to a neighboring town or county, the registration doesn’t work for that scenario.  I picked my bank’s address in Delaware and registered under those details, making a database nightmare, but the H1N1 Ohio Department of Health’s website needs to realize that as long as we’re allowed to go to clinics outside our county or city, the registration should work that way.

3) Currently the site fails to mention the Wednesday clinic that I heard about on Fox28News tonight at 10 p.m.  I’ve checked the site and it says from 2-5 p.m. for Melina’s category.  Nothing on the ODH website.  Perhaps they need a better system?  So don’t depend on the ODH website to give you up to date info.

4) Get there very early.  Make sure your baby has plenty of supplies including warmer clothes for when the sun drops down, in the likely event you are going to be standing for a long time outside.

5) Make this a priority now because when panic sets in, and more people die from H1N1, vaccine clinics are going to be even more of a nightmare.

6) ODH needs a numbering system - if you pre-register and take the time to make this happen, then ODH needs to let us know if more than 2,000 vaccines  are registered.  If there are only 500 shot vaccines, and 1,500 flu mist and my child falls into the category where she can’t get flu mist, then notify me of such so that I don’t stand in a line of people in cars where women were willing to ram their cars into merging vehicles to get their vaccines

7) Twitter alerts - to our cell phones - announce when they run out, and what they run out of, so we can get accurate information and not be subjected to a near-frenzy like affect

8) NBC4 News has a page about upcoming H1N1 vaccine clinics, as well as those that have passed

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