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Police Called When Crowd Of 600 Gets Unruly Waiting For Flu Shots
http://www.wkmg.com ^ | October 17, 2004 | The Associated Press

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: bettycastor; florida; flueshots; fluvaccine; police; stpetersburg; vaccines
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To: SamAdams76

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.


81 posted on 10/17/2004 12:21:26 PM PDT by oceanview
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To: sheikdetailfeather

What fools these mortals be!


82 posted on 10/17/2004 12:22:03 PM PDT by verity (The Liberal Media is America's Enemy)
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To: .38sw

"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.


83 posted on 10/17/2004 12:25:22 PM PDT by MonaMars
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To: Nathan Zachary
Cough on every old, sickly looking democrat you see. It will freak them out. And, if you HAVE the flu, go cough on them, it might keep them from voting.

If you do so, you will probably be fed a cane and it won't be made of peppermint.

84 posted on 10/17/2004 12:25:39 PM PDT by LPM1888 (What are the facts? Again and again and again -- what are the facts? - Lazarus Long)
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To: sheikdetailfeather

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?


85 posted on 10/17/2004 12:26:06 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: ArmyBratCutie

My thoughts exactly!
If the media hadn't reported the flu shot shortage, NONE of this would be happening.


86 posted on 10/17/2004 12:26:23 PM PDT by Muzzle_em
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To: HoustonCurmudgeon

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.


87 posted on 10/17/2004 12:27:02 PM PDT by Erik Latranyi (9-11 is your Peace Dividend)
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar
Years ago a physician said not to worry about flu as most people die as a result of complications from PNEUMONIA after having the flu. We still have plenty of pennicillin for that.

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.

88 posted on 10/17/2004 12:28:10 PM PDT by greyfoxx39
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To: BearWash
Consider if gas stations suddenly had only 1/2 of the supply of gasoline. You would see lines and unruly behavior there also.

Only if they weren't free to raise the price. If they could raise the price, then there'd be no unruliness.

89 posted on 10/17/2004 12:32:25 PM PDT by Koblenz (Not bad, not bad at all. -- Ronald Reagan, the Greatest President.)
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To: LPM1888
Nationally we will see tens of thousands of people die because of the shortage.

What is the source for this statement?

90 posted on 10/17/2004 12:32:29 PM PDT by greyfoxx39
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To: SamAdams76

"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.


91 posted on 10/17/2004 12:33:17 PM PDT by MonaMars
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To: greyfoxx39

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.


92 posted on 10/17/2004 12:34:02 PM PDT by oceanview
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To: oceanview

I agree, and my bout with pneumonia was scary. That's why I'm getting a pneumonia shot.


93 posted on 10/17/2004 12:35:47 PM PDT by greyfoxx39
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To: sheikdetailfeather

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.


94 posted on 10/17/2004 12:36:44 PM PDT by Vision ("When you trust in yourself, you're trusting in the same wisdom that created you")
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To: Trepz
"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 am betting yes. Either that or a good deal of people have gone on their ear. What is the big deal?

95 posted on 10/17/2004 12:37:06 PM PDT by Diva Betsy Ross (God bless the Swift Boat Vets!)
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To: greyfoxx39

another related thread running now:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1248047/posts


96 posted on 10/17/2004 12:37:41 PM PDT by oceanview
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To: BritishBulldog; ArmyBratCutie

Thank the Trial Lawyers for suing our pharm companies out of the USA boys and girls :)


97 posted on 10/17/2004 12:45:29 PM PDT by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: RightWhale
Standing in line like communists

My first thought too, but vodka came to mind (eases the line-numbing effect).

98 posted on 10/17/2004 12:48:40 PM PDT by budwiesest
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To: Muzzle_em

amen!!


99 posted on 10/17/2004 12:55:10 PM PDT by ArmyBratCutie ("Four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:soap, ballot, jury, ammo in this order!")
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To: Calpernia

you got that right!!!


100 posted on 10/17/2004 12:55:34 PM PDT by ArmyBratCutie ("Four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:soap, ballot, jury, ammo in this order!")
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