How are the FFX Clinic wait times?

[Anonymous]

And frankly the morning times mean that you either need to be a SAHM, take off work to stand in line, or take their older kids out of school to stand in line.

I know they had times this weekend but I think it makes more sense they way there are doing it in DC from about 4:40-8pm.

Fairfax just needs to do a better job.

My sister in law went by a DC clinic this weekend on a fluke and got my nephew a shot in about 10 minutes. Why can't Fairfax figure it out?

[Anonymous]

15:09 poster - you read my mind exactly about who can go to these FFX clinics. My husband and I were just talking about if we should take off more time from work when we already have a long winter of flu/colds ahead of us with our daughter.

Which DC clinic did your SIL go to?

[Anonymous]

She went to Wilson but she lives on the DC MD line not in Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

I went to the one in Reston at 3:45 pm on Monday and was out by 4:15 - got the shot right away....

[Anonymous]

It was about a 3hr wait at Springfield today, having arrived right at 8am.

Many thanks to the kind people behind us who shared stickers, bandaids, fruit snacks.

I did feel like punching some guy standing in line on the way out who had the gall to glare and shhh my crying 3yo post-vaccine. I guess he was concerned that she might scare his kid. Way to be empathic, jerk.

[Anonymous]

Very smooth process this morning at the Mt. Vernon clinic. Got there a little before 7 AM. Was #10. Received the shot and was out by 8:30 (including the 15 minutes of post-shot monitoring they ask all recipients to stay for).

One thing to note - the administrators at the Mt. Vernon clinic at least were very strict about the shot being administered only to those in priority groups - and they defined one of those groups narrowly. I witnessed them turn away one grandmother-to-be. (She claimed priority group status on account of the fact that she will be caring for the newborn.) The administrator stated that they are giving the shot only to parents of children who are younger than 6 months when they turned the expectant grandmother away. I was surprised because the county's website lists "caregivers" of children younger than 6 months among those who are in the county's priority groups and does not specify that they intend to vaccinate parents only. I felt really bad for the expectant grandmother.

But otherwise it was a very smooth process.

[Anonymous]

At least DC and Fairfax County have the vaccine - Montgomery County ran out and hasn't replenished its supply - MC is by far the worst!

[Anonymous]

Fairfax updates their website so you can see how many vax are still available at each site:

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/flu/

This morning, Falls Church, Hernon, and Springfield maxed out quickly. I looked and saw that Mt Vernon was at 140 at 9:45 and went there. At 11 AM, I was around 215 and in and out in ten minutes. There were only a few people there. The website was nice because it meant you didn't have to get there early and didn't waste time going somewhere it wasn't available.

Incidentally, their website does say "parents" of children under 6 months, not "caregivers." We want my MIL to get vax'd but when I saw that I didn't bring her.

[Anonymous]

We got to Falls Church at about 8:30, got out at 11 (but were close to the end of the 250 passes given out.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A 2 hour wait! That is not good in my opinion, especially if you have a toddler with you.

At least the toddler can get a vaccine. Older children are not eligible in Fairfax. That includes children with chronic health conditions.