DC Clinics: lines & availability?

[Anonymous]

Where have people been served at the DC clinics and what time did you arrive to line up (compared to the starting time of the clinic)? We went to Wilson last week and got there at about 6 pm. Line snaked out of the building, down the sidewalk and around the corner up onto Nebraska. We waited for about 40 minutes before a gentleman came out and told us that based on their count, they would not have enough vaccine to serve us. I had a 3 y.o and an 11 month old with me and it was nearing bedtime, so I bailed.
I'm willing to wait and blow bedtime if it means we'll get shots, but this waiting outside at night with really little kids is nutty! Are the saturday clinics any better? What about Cardozo? Hardy?

I can just see taking DS for a swine flu shot before he heads to two birthday parties on saturday....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where have people been served at the DC clinics and what time did you arrive to line up (compared to the starting time of the clinic)? We went to Wilson last week and got there at about 6 pm. Line snaked out of the building, down the sidewalk and around the corner up onto Nebraska. We waited for about 40 minutes before a gentleman came out and told us that based on their count, they would not have enough vaccine to serve us. I had a 3 y.o and an 11 month old with me and it was nearing bedtime, so I bailed.
I'm willing to wait and blow bedtime if it means we'll get shots, but this waiting outside at night with really little kids is nutty! Are the saturday clinics any better? What about Cardozo? Hardy?

I can just see taking DS for a swine flu shot before he heads to two birthday parties on saturday....

Try Coolidge. We were there 2 Sats ago at 9:30am (before bday parties, soccer, baseball practice & slumber party) and went thru the entire process in door/out door in less than an hour.

I avoided Wilson when choosing where to go to get our shots. It's in an area that's right on top of the metro, near an elementary, jr high and high school, a bunch of major stores and in a neighborhood w/ lots of kids. I'd expect it to be crowded most of the time. JMO, though since others have posted that Wilson was OK.

[Anonymous]

People from Capitol Hill were having success at Ballou, Kelly Miller and McKinley.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the reports. We may go farther afield this saturday. I can see on one of the lists that the early clinics were just for pregnant women and kids. After that they opened up to everyone in the priority groups. Maybe I'll try to get home in time to head to wilson again tomorrow and then plan to hit someplace else on saturday if Wilson doesn't work. I just can't get home to pick up the troops and get them across town for a shot while allowing for dinner on a work day.

I SO wish we could make an appointment. I'll take an appointment in november, I just want to go and be served in a reasonable fashion without having to drag my hungry/tired kids all over the city to get a shot!

[Anonymous]

Go to Coolidge. We went this Sat. and were in and out in 25 mins, it was an incredibly well-managed clinic. My husband, 6 1/2 mo and I all got the shot (we as caregivers of a 6 1/2 mo. old; they are not being strict on this priority group cut-off). Our neighbors had the same experience -- he and she both got the shot, in and out in 20 mins, they are the parents of a 2 mo. old.

[Anonymous]

On Saturday, there was a 2-hour wait at Cardozo, and NO wait at McKinley. In fact, they had such low turnout that they were even vaccinating non-priority parents.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, PP here again, you asked about time -- we got there at 1 PM and were out by 1:25. Our friends went the Saturday prior around 2, and were out in 20 mins. This seems to be the norm at Coolidge. Also, FWIW, it's a safe, pleasant, family-oriented neighborhood with tons of parking right outside the school.

[Anonymous]

There were no lines at Ballou this weekend.

[Anonymous]

Echo 16:17 - got to Ballou at 7:30am and there were about 20 people ahead of us, waited for them to open at 8 and were finished by 8:45. There was a line formed behind us since it was first thing, but nothing compared to Wilson Thursday evening (where I showed up at 7pm and they had cut the line). WARNING though, they were fairly strict about the priority groups - my husband came with me to get it since he 'will be' caregiver of an infant in about 3 weeks, but they wouldn't give it to him since our baby hasn't been born yet.

[Anonymous]

We went to WIlson tonight. DH lined up at 3:15pm and was about 30th in line. We got out around 5:45pm, so less than an hour of waiting after it opened at 5pm. The lines were snaking around the building at 5pm...

[Anonymous]

took me 2 minutes. you people are all LOSERS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:took me 2 minutes. you people are all LOSERS

don't say that,everybody have different kind experiences.You just get lucky.
No one is LOSER here,specially in this situacion.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone gone to a Coolidge clinic on a weeknight? Just curious if there's any difference in line length, etc.

[Anonymous]

Went to Hardy last night. Got there 6:30, line was to the corner of 35th and S. We were inside by 7:15 and were done with the shots by 8:30.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:took me 2 minutes. you people are all LOSERS

Must be old money.