Politicizing flu shots
 

Now we're concerned because Hillary got one of the "very scarce" flu shots.

A few years ago we were concerned if Bill got a penicillin shot.

You know what I did today. I spent about 12 HOURS waiting in line with my parents and 248 other elderly people so they could get a flu shot. *I didn't get the shot but my parents needed help filling out the paperwork* The first person in line was there at 4:45 a.m. My parents and I got in line around 9:30 am. It was a madhouse at Dominick's grocery store.

The store manager passed out tickets just to stand in line for the priveledge of getting a flu shot and ran out at 11am. They had to post signs in the windows that there were out of flu shots and had security on standby. There were people standing outside of the store turning many people away. There were line monitors because quite a few people tried to cut in front of others and didn't have tickets. They were escorted out the store. The flu shots didn't start being given out until 3pm.

Most of the elderly I talked to told me this was their third or fourth attempt at getting a flu shot. Luckily I prepared by bringing folding chairs,bottled water, and I ended up giving my chair to a lady in our line and I just sat on the floor with a good book. At around 7pm the people were upset because the night manager announced there was a possibilty that they might not have enough of the vaccine. Some people in our line left.Salesclerks starting passing out orange juice and cookies to the people in line.We sat in the same place in line until 8:15 pm. Luckily my parents got their shot.

So you're darn right I'm alot of colorful verbs and adjectives right now about the flu shot being distributed to otherwise healthy members of Congress, their staff, and prisoners. If I can go without a flu shot they can fly by the seat of their pants just like the rest of the healthy population during flu season. Their shot should have gone instead to those who really needed it.

I think this whole "politicizing of the flu shots" debacle has been one of the lowest points of a very low election.

I'm considered high risk (for personal & professional reasons), yet I'm on a list to get one. I was offered one a month ago, but years past has proven that earlier isn't usually better - for me, anyhow. Rumor has it that they'll be available by Wednesday.

You have to remember that hundreds of thousands of flu shots were distributed BEFORE the British firm was closed down and they found out that there wouldn't be enough. I work for a health care system and we had a huge health fair where they encouraged every single worker (I'm at corporate headquarters, nobody there works with patients) to get one. They had no way of projecting that they would have a huge shortage. Those who got them who aren't high risk are feeling guilty now, but they had no way of knowing how things would end up.

Dee

I assume you realize what a saint you are. Your parents obviously raised a great child, and I salute you.

In the past, people survived without flu shots, and we'll survive this year too.

The media and politicians have created a near-panic, and our most senior people have panicked. They need to relax and enjoy more bingo and checkers.

PS: My mother, in the past two weeks, has won bingo jackpots of $700 and $200 (tax-free).

I can't believe some Democrats are outraged that Dick Cheney received a flu shot (the man has had 4 heart operations). As mentioned earlier, Bill who had a heart surgery received one of these scarce flu shot. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this a bit hypocritical. Both men exceed the requiremnets set forth by the government to receive the flu vaccine.

In my opinion, this is exactly why Bush will win the election by a wider margin than most expect. Average Americans are turned off by the nasty comments of people such as Teresa Heinz-Kerry, Elizabeth Edwards, etc. The new polls show Bush widening his margin of victory in crucial states, such as Wisconsin(6pts.), Florida(4-5pts), Nevada(10pts), Colorado (6pts), Iowa (3pts). Most people that I know can't stand another two weeks of this crap, let alone four years.

Whatever I've recieved a Flu-shot... but then of course I live here in Canuckistan (according to some Republican morons),

I have not heard politicians criticizing each other for getting flu shots. I have heard the media public announcing which senators/congress members, etc have gotten flu shots, as if you should hate them because they did and some didn't. They have been interviewing them here in Michigan as if they are criminals for getting the flu shots and they are being equally critical of both parties.

As for hoosiers comment about "people will live without a flu shot", unfortunately, that's not true for some in the high risk group. People die from the flu every year.

The only way this should be politicized is for the politicians to be aware that things need to change so that we are not relying on only two companies to provide enough flu shots for our entire country. My broader thoughts have been related to "what if we needed to mass immunize people against a biochemical weapon?". We don't seem to be able to find a logical way to distribute limited flu shots. Can you imagine if we needed to mass distribute small pox vaccines or anthrax vaccines? We don't seem to be ready for this and we should be.

Dee

Except for the 30 to 50 thousand Americans that die of the flu each year.

Kerry was criticizing members of congress for getting the shot.

And while there are many in the high risk group that do need this, it's ridiculous that this is in the media all the time now and everyone is trying to get one when they didn't at this rate before.

Personally I hate these things. They make me sick for like 3 weeks and I don't really benefit as much, but whatever.

-Rudey
--So someone else can have my shot

Bears get flu shots despite shortage

By Melissa Isaacson and David Haugh, Tribune staff reporters. Trine Tsouderos and K.C. Johnson contributed to this report
Published October 22, 2004

The executive director of the Lake County Health Department reacted with outrage Wednesday to news that Bears players have received flu vaccinations despite a shortage that has caused the shutdown of all 16 flu clinics in the area and has left countless senior citizens still waiting for shots.

The Bulls also received the shots, but a day before the shortage was announced on Oct. 5, according to a source.

Dale Galassie said his office had sent letters to the CEOs of the top 50 corporations in Lake County, where the Bears and Bulls train, asking that if flu vaccines were purchased for their employees, they be distributed only to those in high-risk categories and that the remainder be donated or sold to the county.

Though the Bears did not receive a letter, Galassie said he would have hoped that young, fit professional athletes would not be offered the vaccine.

"I certainly wouldn't anticipate them meeting the Centers for Disease Control's high-risk category unless they interpret that they're under risk because of an extreme travel schedule," he said. "But they have their own plane. Everyone should be stepping up . . . and giving it to those who need it. I'd like to know why an athlete in top shape is being given a flu shot."

Though the Bears' official stance is that all matters of medication and treatment are private, a team official said only those players who might be at risk with "asthma-type conditions" received the vaccine. The rest of the vaccine, he said, was returned to the distributor.

But Bears players indicated all of them were given the option of receiving a shot. Less than half of the roughly 60 players received one, which is typical. Some declined on moral grounds.

"It's offered to everybody, but some guys are like, `You know what, other people deserve to get it more than we do,'" said Michael Haynes, a second-year defensive end.

"I didn't get one because with what's going on everywhere, I shouldn't. A lot of guys were like that. . . . I looked in there and there was a nurse giving shots [Wednesday] and I was like, `I don't even want it.' I don't need one as bad as some people, so I said no."

The vaccine, the team said, is available to players throughout the National Football League. Bears offensive tackle John Tait said he refused as well.

"It's not for me," he said. "It's a personal decision, and I guess I'd let someone else have one because of the shortage this year."

Bulls players received the vaccinations on Oct. 4, as part of their routine training-camp physicals.

"We absolutely need them," veteran Eric Piatkowski said. "The way we travel, we're going in and out of cold and warm climates. Our bodies get worn down too. I won't say we need them more than some 85-year-old person, because obviously we don't. But I'm glad we got them."

Galassie said Lake County originally ordered 8,500 doses of flu vaccine and that it still is hoping to receive 50 percent of the order in early December, thanks to CDC director Dr. Julie Gerberding redistributing 22 million flu vaccines. In the meantime, Galassie said his office is getting "upwards of 200 calls a day from seniors and those who meet the standards of the high-risk categories with no access to the vaccine."

Those considered a priority group for the vaccine include children 6 to 23 months old; adults 65 and older; those ages 2 to 64 with chronic medical conditions; women who will be pregnant during the flu season; and residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

Though a handful of states, including Michigan and Wisconsin, have threatened doctors and other health care professionals with fines and even jail for giving healthy people the vaccine, Illinois has not, said Tom Schafer, spokesman for the Illinois Department of Public Health.

In Michigan, health care workers found giving flu shots to healthy residents are guilty of a misdemeanor crime punishable by up to six months in prison or a fine of up to $200, or both.

In Washington, D.C., administering a flu shot to a child or adult not in the risk categories could bring a misdemeanor citation and a $1,000 fine. But lawmakers in Washington have been the subject of debate over whether it's appropriate for those not at risk to receive shots under the recommendation of their Capitol physician. Neither President Bush nor Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and his running mate John Edwards received shots.

According to a Tribune survey, several members of the Illinois congressional delegation received flu shots, some before the shortage was announced, because of a medical condition or because of overseas travel.

Approximately 36,000 Americans die from flu each year, mortality rates that rise to 51,000 if other health complications are included.

Throughout the nation, seniors have waited in lines for the flu shots, enduring waits in Lake County lasting as long as nine hours. Around the Chicago area, seniors and chronically ill adults crowded grocery stores offering the shot and flooded clinics with phone calls, desperate to find some vaccine.

"If I don't get the flu shot it will do me in," said Dan Diasparra, 68, of Lake Forest, who sat with his oxygen tank for a wait of more than seven hours at the Dominick's in Mundelein earlier this week.

Galassie said that after the fact, there is little that his office could or would do in response to the Bears' action.

"But come on, what's the point here?" he said. "What we're saying is just do the right thing. Look at the PR value of the Bears . . . saying we have 100 doses we're willing to donate in lieu of this situation. It's regretful at best."

Ditto. And I'm considered "high risk." I've lived without one for a couple years now.

http://www.electoral-vote.com/pred/oct22x.html

Check out this map - Bush is TEMPORARILY UP in Wisconsin and the margin in that poll is currently 3%, which isn't outside the cusp of error. You're right, most people can't stand two more weeks of this crap - we're waiting to send that sanctimonious jackass back to Texas and get a real President again.

I've got an idea. Let's return to the subject of this thread.

I've NEVER gotten a flu shot, my choice. I've been fortunate, I'm sure, not to get the flu, but I won't always be able to dodge that bullet, I expect.

No one knew that the flu vaccine would be tainted, but the panic ensuing is horrendous and when compared to the events of last year, when we simply ran out, is out of control. And last year was predicted to be a horrible flu year. Remember the manufacturers made the wrong vaccine for the predicted strain?

IF anything, this shows that we do have to be careful when relying on foreign countries for our medicines.

The general concensus is that not many companies will make it because it doesn't make enough profit to make it worthwhile. This could be remedied by providing government subsidies and having 8 to 10 companies producing the vaccine so that even if one (or even 2 or 3) of the companies have a problem, the shortage would not be as severe. Health officials could also change the way these are distributed so that the high risk people get them first and then they start immunizing the "healthy" population rather then just encouraging everybody to get the flu shots right away.

I got mine because I'm on immunosuppressants and a typical 3 day cold lasts 3 weeks for me. My kids' pediatrician called me and asked us to come in to get them shots, because they are both asthmatic and my son had pnuemonia twice in the last year. My mom was able to get one from her home health care nurse, because her pulmonary specialist didn't get any of his (it had been ordered from the company that was shut down). She is completely physically unable to stand in line.. she can't even go grocery shopping herself or drive. I was most worried about her.

There has to be a better way to distribute these things than having seniors getting up at 2 am to wait in line for 8 hours to get their shots.

Dee