Arlington H1N1clinic today

[Anonymous]

we are all entitled to our own opinions... at the end of the day when the vaccine is not yet available for our young children under 2, we are only protecting them by getting the vaccination as well. The clinic staff ENCOURAGED it. The rude and suggestive comments above about what comes around goes around is just extremely distasteful. This is a life-threatening virus we are talking about here.. have some class.

How DARE you defend that selfish woman who vaccinated herself ahead of the well-known CDC priority groups? She is the one who is extremely distasteful and without class. She knew what she was doing was wrong. I don't care who encouraged it. THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES has refused his H1N1 shot because HE IS NOT IN A CDC PRIORITY GROUP.

People that are getting their shots ahead of pregnant women and others in the CDC designated priority group will some day get what they deserve. Let's just hope it is when they are old and feeble and having to stand in line for another vaccine in the future and young, healthy people keep pushing ahead of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, I did not ask for the shot at all. I went in and told them I was there for my two sons and the woman said to me, "Do you want the shot?" and I said no, I am not in the high risk group. She then said, "Well, you should get it, we are trying to vaccinate everyone." So I got it. I did not abuse anything and they were not turning anyone away

Nice try, but I'll bet you already know this logic doesn't fly. What would you do if your son came to you and said he was at a party and someone offered him drugs? And he said "no, I shouldn't take those." But the person insisted "really, you should try this, everyone should try this, I'm asking everyone!" Would you be ok with him accepting something he KNEW he had no right to have under those circumstances?

You are a horrible person and you are setting a horrible example to your children. I only wish there were a way to sue people like you who abuse the system.

Wow, you are really angry over this. I think having someone offer my son drugs is slightly different than having a NURSE encourage me to get the shot. And, I don't really think my 4 and 2 year know or care that Mommy "abused" the system, but they would care if Mommy got sick and died from swine flu. So, sorry you feel that way, but what's done is done. May your family remain healthy during this scary time.

[Anonymous]

Wow, you are really angry over this. I think having someone offer my son drugs is slightly different than having a NURSE encourage me to get the shot. And, I don't really think my 4 and 2 year know or care that Mommy "abused" the system, but they would care if Mommy got sick and died from swine flu. So, sorry you feel that way, but what's done is done. May your family remain healthy during this scary time.

And how would you feel if the tables were turned? How would you feel if you brought your children to a clinic to get vaccinated, only to see perfectly healthy adults that admit they aren't in a priority group walking out after their vaccinations? And then when you got inside, you learned they ran out of vaccines? Too bad 2 year old, too bad 4 year old. Sorry you are going to get sick and die, but those healthy adults wanted their vaccine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey, I am confused as to who can get the shot at the Arlington clinic.

What do you consider the father of a child who is high risk? My daughter has respiratory issues and can't get the vaccine yet (she's 14 months). So is it selfish for my husband and I (who am trying to get pregnant) to get the shot today?

I think they are vaccinating parents of children too young to get a shot/mist at their clinic, according to posts earlier today. Other clinics are vaccinating children over 6 months, but apparently Arlington does not have the right shots/mist dosages for those ages. I don't think parents of children over 6 months are considered a priority group by the CDC but sounds like Arlington has decided to vaccinate parents of children who cannot get shots, as a way to compensate. Sounds reasonable to me.

[Anonymous]

Wow, you are really angry over this. I think having someone offer my son drugs is slightly different than having a NURSE encourage me to get the shot. And, I don't really think my 4 and 2 year know or care that Mommy "abused" the system, but they would care if Mommy got sick and died from swine flu. So, sorry you feel that way, but what's done is done. May your family remain healthy during this scary time.

You were wrong and you are an unethical person. I hope this decision haunts you every day for the rest of your life.

[Anonymous]

You are over-reacting. I think it is the responsibility of the staff administering the shot to decide who can get it and who can't. Shouldn't they know best?

Several of the moms in my playgroup, who all have 14 month olds, have gotten the shot at this same clinic because their kids can't. They weren't trying to game the system, they wanted to protect their children in any way possible. Why begrudge them that?

[Anonymous]

You are over-reacting. I think it is the responsibility of the staff administering the shot to decide who can get it and who can't. Shouldn't they know best?

Several of the moms in my playgroup, who all have 14 month olds, have gotten the shot at this same clinic because their kids can't. They weren't trying to game the system, they wanted to protect their children in any way possible. Why begrudge them that?

Because they are cheating. Just because your friends are doing it doesn't mean it is ok. Hasn't anyone ever taught you that? There are people who need the vaccine, who have priority to get the vaccine, who haven't been able to get it yet.

[Anonymous]

I don't blame the mothers, I blame the staff. When people rush to get on an airplane, it is the staff that makes them get in order and wait for their number to be called.

If their are priority kids or adults who haven't gotten the shot, then the staff needs to screen for them. Obviously, they must believe they will have enough for everyone, hence they are casting a wide net.

Blame those doing the sticking, not those trying to protect their kids. They asked and were told yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't blame the mothers, I blame the staff. When people rush to get on an airplane, it is the staff that makes them get in order and wait for their number to be called.

If their are priority kids or adults who haven't gotten the shot, then the staff needs to screen for them. Obviously, they must believe they will have enough for everyone, hence they are casting a wide net.

Blame those doing the sticking, not those trying to protect their kids. They asked and were told yes.

I was at the Arlington clinic this morning, and the staff was actively trying to discourage a mother who was not on the priority list from being vaccinated. She was there with her 4yo who had asthma. He was getting the vaccine, and she indicated that she wanted it, too. The Arlington staff member actively tried to discourage her from getting it, stating that they were trying to reserve it for those on the priority list. The woman insisted that she wanted it because her child had asthma, so the Arlington staff member said that they wouldn't turn anyone away, but gently tried to talk her out of it again. I believe that she ended up getting the vaccine (she filled out the form for it).

So, either there's a serious problem with the consistency the Arlington County health staff, or Arlington is encouraging parents of kids they can't vaccinate to get the vaccine but discouraging non-priority parents of kids that are getting vaccinated. I'm not sure which, but based on what I overheard today, it seems strange to me that someone from the Arlington Health department encouraged a non-priority person to get the vaccine.

[Anonymous]

You are over-reacting. I think it is the responsibility of the staff administering the shot to decide who can get it and who can't. Shouldn't they know best?

Several of the moms in my playgroup, who all have 14 month olds, have gotten the shot at this same clinic because their kids can't. They weren't trying to game the system, they wanted to protect their children in any way possible. Why begrudge them that?

LOL PP . . . this is like that episode of Seinfeld where George attended a birthday party and thought there was a fire, so he knocked over all the toddlers trying to get out of the burning house first. You and your friends pretty much just knocked over a bunch of pregnant women and children with disabilities so they could get their shots first. Glad you all found each other so you can be friends together!

[Anonymous]

Several of the moms in my playgroup, who all have 14 month olds, have gotten the shot at this same clinic because their kids can't. They weren't trying to game the system, they wanted to protect their children in any way possible. Why begrudge them that?



LOL PP . . . this is like that episode of Seinfeld where George attended a birthday party and thought there was a fire, so he knocked over all the toddlers trying to get out of the burning house first. You and your friends pretty much just knocked over a bunch of pregnant women and children with disabilities so they could get their shots first. Glad you all found each other so you can be friends together!

Not at ALL surprising to me that some upper middle class moms in this area are this selfish. If any of my friends told me they gamed the system this way, I would tell them how awful they were for doing it and if they didn't express remorse, it would probably be the end of the friendship. The true colors come out during times like this, and I can't be friends with people that have no values.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You are over-reacting. I think it is the responsibility of the staff administering the shot to decide who can get it and who can't. Shouldn't they know best?

Several of the moms in my playgroup, who all have 14 month olds, have gotten the shot at this same clinic because their kids can't. They weren't trying to game the system, they wanted to protect their children in any way possible. Why begrudge them that?

LOL PP . . . this is like that episode of Seinfeld where George attended a birthday party and thought there was a fire, so he knocked over all the toddlers trying to get out of the burning house first. You and your friends pretty much just knocked over a bunch of pregnant women and children with disabilities so they could get their shots first. Glad you all found each other so you can be friends together!

First off, that is completely unfair. No one got knocked off, let alone kids or pregnant women. Also, I didn't get the shot and never said I did. The people in my playgroup who did ASKED for the shot, didn't strong arm anyone into it or cut in line.

One mother has been in and out of hospitals with her 14 month old who has aspiration issues, so maybe that is why they gave it to her. Another mother was told to get the shot by the staff because she is still nursing her 14 month old. And I don't know how the third person got the shot, but I know she didn't lie to get it or "push over any toddlers." In fact, these mothers have toddlers they are trying to protect---toddlers who can't get the shot yet themselves.

They didn't cut in line, they didn't lie. They waited their turn like everyone else and were honest about their situation. If you take issue with the way the vaccine is being distributed, then take issue with the distributers. The information is constantly changing. Their children COULDN'T get vaccinated because they are too young, and they are trying to protect them, too.

If I hear that pregnant women and children with disabilities are being turned away because there is no more vaccine, then I would agree that the SYSTEM is flawed. But is that happening?

[Anonymous]

How is it "gaming the system" if the staff gives you a shot? If you don't lie or bribe anyone. I don't understand.

[Anonymous]

They have to start policing this. That was my concern from the beginning - who is going to be responsible for determining who is priority? Someone needs to.

[Anonymous]

The problem is with the Arlington clinic. I was there today & the guy handing out forms was asking the parents of two children if they were getting vaccinated. They responded that they did not think they were eligible to be vaccinated at this moment. He answered, sure you are! They were like, OK, we will get vaccinated then. I did not think it was my place to get involved and tell them not to get vaccinated. Now, DH is an ER doc, has not been vaccinated & I was going to tell him to go to Arlington tomorrow for the vaccine. Perhaps I will suggest that he wear his scrubs so people do not give him nasty looks : )