Posted on 10/17/2004 10:13:00 AM PDT by sheikdetailfeather
Police Called When Crowd Of 600 Gets Unruly Waiting For Flu Shots
POSTED: 8:38 am EDT October 17, 2004 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Police were called when a crowd of 600 people got unruly after gathering at a St. Petersburg supermarket for hoped-for flu shots. Less than 300 doses were on hand.
Store managers called police after people started screaming and hollering for tickets for the shots. Two officers and a sergeant helped restore calm.
Some people spent the night in sleeping bags to be near the front of the line. Elderly men and women waited in wheelchairs and leaned on walkers. Some brought lawn chairs and umbrellas.
The nation's suddenly limited supply of flu vaccine is going fast. The rush for shots has become political fodder.
Democratic Senate candidate Betty Castor talked with people waiting for shots at a Tampa supermarket. She said government is not doing its job.
A new ad from John Kerry's campaign blames President George W. Bush for ignoring warnings about shortages three years ago.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Why are there long lines in the first place? Are these "clinics" at supermarkets and drugstores the only places to get shots? Can't a person who is in the "at risk" category get one from their doctor without standing in line for hours at the local Safeway or Costco? I won't be getting one since I don't fit into these categories, but I'm genuinely curious about this. I would guess that part of the reason for the long lines is panic and fear at not being able to get a shot, but can't a person get one from their doctor?
"no offense dog, but you people are the ones with the tainted meds that is stopping us from getting it....shame on the Brits...other than that I LOVE TONY....he RULES he is so brave!!!"
Can't argue with your fist point, it was a British factory involved, BUT the factory is (I believe) in Liverpool, so you Yanks must take some responsibilty for chancing buying most of your vaccine from there in the first place, the Scoucers were bound to mess it up evenutally.
Re Tony. Self-serving little guttersnipe. You Yanks have got him totally wrong. Don't be taken in by him, his a lying toad.
Any bets that the unruly behavior was planned by members of the DNC? Just looking for a reason to start trouble and then blame Bush?
I love humans! I'm only 52 and rather lean and mean if I must say so, but my aortic valve was replaced with a carbon composite in '90. I take flu shots every year. Last year I sat with my co-workers in the employee lounge hearing how flu shots are bad for you.. mercury.. autism..yatta, yatta, nobody wanted them. Now this year I can't get a flu shot. But now the lemmings are rioting. What gives? Is it the election?
Before my mother and step-father passed away, they got their shots in the doctor's office. This is nuts!
A lot of those seniors and kids getting the vaccine are in this country illegally. Interesting question:should illegals get the flu shot? If they don't you'll end up paying their medical bills anyway.
Can only imagine what it's going to be like for smallpox vaccinations.
This is so freaking ridiculous. Last fall I was pregnant with my third baby. I was talking to the doctor when I asked about getting the flu shot, and if it would be difficult to get. Within a couple of minutes, a nurse walked in and gave me my shot. The OB said that the shortage was overexaggerated because he didn't know of any doctors who didn't have them for their patients.
Since when are the so called old people supposed to get everything. My son has Down Syndrome and is susapble to every little bug that comes along. My wife works in a preschool and gets every little bug that comes along too. Some parents just drop their kids off there no matter what, because they have to go to work then the teachers get sick. and most of the preschools do NOT have health ins. for their employees. Most of the old people are in better shape than I am & they are demanding more than their fair share!
Very few, if any, private physicians can get any vaccine. Many had it on order, but the orders are canceled by the distributors. Now some are scrambling to get "FluMist" (for 5-49 year old healthy patients), but with no success yet that I've heard about.
My doctor is jerking me around. He admitted there was a limited supply. It may be he's just afraid of lawsuits.
Interesting question:should illegals get the flu shot?
Residents first.
If you have a green card take a number ;^)
Costco has 4 hour lines here in NY yesterday. the media was there - the lines were full of the same kind of run down senior citizens you see at the casinos, smoking their brains out at the slot machines.
Look at it this way... what better way is there to make a 5 year old child think he has to have somethimg than to tell him he can't have it? These adults are regressing.
you'll never turn me against him....I ADORE<LOVE< Him.....hes a STRONG, brave leader!!
Hey last time I was over there, I rode these kind of "boats?" that was like a spider floating on top of the water and zoomed across from the White Cliffs of Dover...know what I mean jellybean? it was so much fun!
Thanks.
No numbers being given out. Illegal kids are getting the flu shots. Lots of citizens can't get them.
same thing with my husbands company....THEY are still being offered it....I dont understand all the hype, but I guess its "President Bush's Fault" as USUAL per the lib media
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