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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
my parents are both in their mid 70s - they have never gotten one, never gave it a second thought. but so many americans, especially seniors, see health care as some kind of social event. if they aren't "doctored up" and taking pills for something, they freak out.
What fools these mortals be!
"Why are there long lines in the first place? Are these "clinics" at supermarkets and drugstores the only places to get shots?"
Got my shot yesterday and heard there that over 75% of shots delivered each year are thru supermarkets and drugstores and the like.
"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?"
All of the docs where I live ordered from Chiron and, as a consequence, have no vaccine. The only docs I've heard of who have any vaccine are pediatricians. My experience yesterday bore that out. They had almost 1000 people on line for 700 doses and I swear I was the only person there under 65. No kids at all.
If you do so, you will probably be fed a cane and it won't be made of peppermint.
It's a scare tactic story for Democrats to talk about.
Wanna bet this ends up being a vacine for the wrong flu when this is all over?
My thoughts exactly!
If the media hadn't reported the flu shot shortage, NONE of this would be happening.
The most ironic part of all of this is that the flu shot does not cover every type of flu possible. Many years the shot is useless because the prevalent flu is of a different strain.
In December 1999, I ended up with pneumonia after the flu and have gotten the shots since then, but am not going to panic this year...will call my doc and get a pneumonia shot and when the panic dies down get the flu shot. I'm 64, but don't consider myself high risk. I have only had the flu that one time.
I think some seniors nowadays think they can live forever if only they do everything right, diet, meds, etc. etc. My 85 year-old mother is on numerous meds that I think are ridiculous for someone her age, and suffering from side effects, but she takes everything the docs tell her to. I really don't believe a slightly elevated cholesterol at her age is that bad since she hasn't had any symptoms of stroke or heart disease. But, I'm sure there are hundreds of thousands of people in that age bracket that are taking that expensive medication. I blame the doctors for this overprescribing. When she goes in complaining of aches and pains, instead of telling her that she should expect some discomfort at her age, they push another pill at her.
Only if they weren't free to raise the price. If they could raise the price, then there'd be no unruliness.
What is the source for this statement?
"Never once in my 42 years of living have I gotten a "flu shot." And in the few times that I do get the flu - about once every five years - I just drink a little extra water, sleep a little more and shake it off."
85% of deaths from flu or, more accurately, from complications from flu, are in people over the age of 65. The other deaths are from kids under 2 and folks with asthma, heart/lung disease, deficient immune systems, etc. Hence, the distribution guidelines.
PS- If all you had to do was sleep a little, drink some water, and shake it off, you didn't have the flu. Influenza, as opposed to the zillion other bugs that people catch during flu season, will knock even the healthiest person on his a** for two weeks.
tens of thousands of elderly people die every winter - of pneumonia. The media and the Dems will attribute every one of these deaths this year - to the low supply of flu vaccine.
I agree, and my bout with pneumonia was scary. That's why I'm getting a pneumonia shot.
I have no idea why during the debate Bush didn't say "we will fix this. I'm going to overturn the bad legislation Bill and Hillary Clinton enacted that caused these shortages.
I am betting yes. Either that or a good deal of people have gone on their ear. What is the big deal?
another related thread running now:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1248047/posts
Thank the Trial Lawyers for suing our pharm companies out of the USA boys and girls :)
My first thought too, but vodka came to mind (eases the line-numbing effect).
amen!!
you got that right!!!
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