Lines for DC Saturday Clinics

[Anonymous]

So, does anyone want to venture a guess as to how early people will start lining up for the DC Saturday clinics? I got to the MoCo clinic this week an hour before it opened and there were already hundreds upon hundreds of people in front of me. From what I heard (Wash. Post article, I think) one woman pulled her kids out of bed at midnight and got in line (she and her 3 kids all got the shot). Needless to say, the pathetic 249 doses of the shot that MoCo had to distribute were gone long before I got anywhere close to the door.

So, I'm trying again tomorrow in DC (I'm pregnant -- 3rd trimester). [Side note -- yes, I know some of you think I should stick to MD since I live there and not take a shot from DC, but that's another topic. And honestly, since I ride the metro every day, my first priority is just getting the shot to protect my baby. The articles about the effects of H1N1 on pregnant women are really scary.] I was thinking about getting to this clinic about 2 hours before it opens. I get the general impression that DC has more supply or is doing a better job of getting the shots to people who legitimately need it (over the mist) because their clinics are smaller in scope. But, am I kidding myself? Do I need to get up in the middle of the night to get in line? Only hindsight will tell, but I'm curious what others are planning to do, if you're going to a clinic tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

I thought DC DOH said they would require a driver's license, ID or utility bill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought DC DOH said they would require a driver's license, ID or utility bill.

Nope. They want to reach everyone they can. I'll point out that you're likely to ride in the same Metro car as OP. Having MoCo people who spend time in DC vaccinated helps us District residents, too.

I'm pleased to see that DC is finally doing a better job of coordinating a public service than MoCo.

[Anonymous]

OP, I have no clue what the lines will be like on Saturday, but I arrived an hour before yesterday's Eliot Hines clinic and was done with the process by about 6PM (so, two hours total, including the hour long wait before the clinic opened). FWIW, I read that other sites had much less of a wait time.

Also, FWIW, my child, who was vaccinated, is not a DC resident.

[Anonymous]

I was in the MoCo line btw. When I got in line, only one woman had her kids with her. They had all spent the night in a hotel. She kept saying her kids had asthma. I don't know if they did, but yes, I am sure all four of her kids got shots.

With respect to the line, you might have a couple of options, if you have a cooperative family member or two. My husband did a drive by on the Rockville clinic around 1am to see if there were really people in line that early. Sure enough, there were two, but that didn't seem like a harbinger of needing to be there at 3am. Then, we had a surrogate (me) stand in line for my 4 y.o. Could you have someone stand in line for you early, and then you come to line about an hour before to keep you off your feet? Daddy to be could be good for that.

I decided I was going up at 6am, having been pregnant during the last flu shot shortage and knowing that 2 hours was not going to be enough. I actually couldn't sleep, and was out the door of my house about 5:15. I am not sure where 6am would have put me in line.

There is one critical difference between your situation now and Wednesday. MoCo was taking all priority groups. DC is not. You are not competing with those people like me who have asthma (who did not take the shot even though eligible on Wednesday). I am now regretting not taking on in MoCo because no one is now vaccinating people in my group.

[Anonymous]

Can you call ahead and make an appointment? I heard that some places were by appointment only.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Meant that some other clinics earlier in the week (not the DC Saturday Clinics) were by appointment.

[Anonymous]

Based on my very unscientific guess, I would bet on the location in NE having the shortest line. The other locations in NW are higher traffic areas/neighborhoods (much like Hine and Cardozo).

Ballou and Kelly Miller, in Anacostia and NE respectively, had significantly less folks show up. We were at Ballou on Tues and they were talking about closing early bc of lack of people showing up. Later on the news I heard they were expecting 1000 and only vaccinated about 100.

Not sure if this will hold for Saturday, but just a thought.
Also, I heard that one of the DC Saturday locations has a Saturday orchestra program so that location may already have tons of youth there anyway who jump into line. Not sure which location this is, but it would be worth checking.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

[Anonymous]

20:04 here.

an no they do not require any id whatsoever, or they did not on Tues at Ballou

[Anonymous]

OP here: Thanks for all of the suggestions. Unfortunately my husband has been crazy busy at work this week (home at midnight last night, still there now) and he has to work tomorrow, so I would rather he sleep than stand in line for me. I'm going to give it my best shot and if I don't get it, I'll try not to panic and just keep trying my OB's office and other clinics. And I feel better thanks to all of the posts about how vaccinating some people benefits all of us because it stops the spread.

Big thanks for the head's up about the orchestra event. I'll try to figure out which school that is and avoid that one.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know whether the DC clinic tomorrow will have the mist? Also, do you think there is any chance that our kids will be able to get a 2nd dose if they get a first dose tomorrow?

[Anonymous]

DC clinics have the mist.

Kids are supposed to get the second dose 30 days after the first dose.

[Anonymous]

Yes, they will have the mist for the older kids.

I second the recommendation to go to the clinic in NE because it will probably have a shorter line.

[Anonymous]

DH and DC are at Wilson right now. Said the line extends to the Whole Foods and they have 2000 doses. They got there around 7am and their number is in the low 100s. Said it is slow going, they are only taking people in 25 at a time.

[Anonymous]

I got there at 5:45 and there were 15 others or so. We got out at 9:15 and the line looked endless. They have 8 nurses administering the vaccine, and it is very, very slow. Very slow.