OT:Flu shots.

[Bob Weisner]

Hi:

I got my flu shot on thursday. I had a VERY hard time trying to find where I could got the flu shot. When I got there,it was about 1/2 hour before they were to give the shots and there was already over 400 people in line!! Is it like that everywhere?

Thanks,

Bob

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Bob....the lab in England where a majority of the flu vaccine was being manufactured was shutdown due to poor practices. As a result there is a major shortage! In a lot of places you have to fill out a form and it is only being given to those in high risk categories. My wife works in a local school and I work in hospitals and clinics. While I haven't taken the flu shot in the last few years, because of my age and our occupations, I was going to take it this year. Now I don't know. In some places, the lines and numbers of persons desiring the flu shot has caused people to be turned away due to the shortage of vaccine. Another problem, the news media has reported that this year might be a extremely hard year and the current virus extremely strong.....as a result .....a number of people are and will over-react, in my opinion, and desire to get it. There have even been reports of companies "price gouging" hospitals and clinics as a result of the shortage.

This may sound strange...if my wife or I come down with something...flu...cold etc......we often sleep in separate rooms so that we don't spread it to the other. We don't want to take it to our "public" jobs!

[Greg Griswold]

Bob,

The company that I work for used to have the Flu Shot folks come to our offices and administer the shots. Due to the shortage they have stopped that. We all got emails telling us that the shots would not be available and that "high risk" people were the only ones that would get the shots.

I then had to find a place that was giving the shots. The closes place for me was in Wisconsin. I went there this Saturday, got there 1/2 hour early and was number 115.

My wife, who is not high risk, didn't get a shot this year, but told me that it was like this all of the time. She has gotten flu shots at the local Walmart the last few years, and gets there OVER 1 hour early every time and still has to wait a long time in line.

Seems like just the way it is.

Greg