Flu shot clinic changes coming

[Update: We were contacted by the health department today (11/6) telling us to expect 400 doses next week. We consider this unconfirmed until we have doses in our hands and will not be scheduling appointments until doses have been received and counted.]

Saturday November 7th will proceed as planned as a walk in clinic. We are listening to feedback from our families and we are hearing that there is a preference to resume shot appointments. We originally hoped to have much more vaccine available and in the past walk in clinics have been very successful to get a lot of vaccine distributed quickly.

For the coming weeks it appears supply of vaccine will continue to be limited. This will continue to cause too many families arriving on Saturday to be unable to receive flu vaccine. To reduce frustration we will begin taking appointments for flu shots *when the next batch is shipped* to our office. *Don't call yet as we don't have vaccine available for appointments yet.* We anticipate our small number of currently available doses to be given out this coming Saturday. Unfortunately rain is in the forcast for this weekend so if you do plan to come bring umbrellas and rain gear. If you would like to stay dry, wait for updates on website for when we have vaccine available and will be able to take appointments.

At this time we don't know when our next batch of vaccine will arive. We have been told by the health department that Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day may interfere with shipments. We have let them know we are willing to assist in any way including driving to them and helping distribute. We have ordered 5000 doses and received 1100 to date. Unfortunately we are dependent on the vaccine manufacturers and state vaccine distribution systems to get vaccine. It is not an issue of us not ordering enough.

Please continue to use the comments to give us your ideas on how to fairly and quickly distribute this vaccine.

Comments

[Bobbi]

It would be very much appreciated to get a couple of updates throughout the day before the clinic on Saturday to let us know how many vaccinations (both H1N1 and seasonal) are left. It could help make the decision as to whether we want to go on Saturday or wait. Also, I didn't see an update as to whether you received any more seasonal flu vaccines. You're doing a great job in communication; these are added questions that might prompt phone calls.

[Kenneth Carlson, MD]

No more seasonal flu vaccine has arrived. We will post an update when more arrives.

This coming Saturday we anticipate that tickets will be handed out and all spoken for before 0900 so updates through the morning will likely not to be helpful. Count as of now is 260 injectable doses for tomorrow.

[Holly]

Would it be possible to create a waiting list for the vaccination appointments? So if you have 200 doses, you would schedule the first 200 people and then when you recieve another batch - you would schedule the next group of people on the list, until that batch is used and then keep moving down the list? Anyone who calls requesting an appointment would be put on the list according to the order they called or emailed.
It would make me feel a lot better to be on a list, even awaiting list rather than having the continued stress of monitoring the web site, attending clinics and making phone calls but still not making any further progress towards getting the vacination.
Perhaps people interested in getting on the appointment list could email the request and then you could send back a confirmation and a wait list number?
Thank you for your conitnued efforts, while this has been very difficult - your continued informaiton has been very helpful!

[Sophie Sakoff]

I think a waiting list is a great idea. It would give your office an idea of how many children are waiting to be vaccinated. The Marion County Health Department made appointments available through a phone-in system. Please consider the appointment method and then those not able to receive an appointment can be put on a waiting list and called when a new supply comes in. Being on a waiting list and knowing you will be called back with an appointment will help to relieve some of the stress for parents.
Thank you.

[Rachel]

We waited in line for over 3 hours this morning and were then turned away, as you decided to give the last vaccines to children 6 mos - 3 years. It is incredibly frustrating to wait in the cold and then not get the vaccine, even after someone came through the line and counted off the 260 doses and we were told to stay (along with about 50 people behind us).

It would have been nice if, at the time you decided to stop administering the vaccine to kids over 3, you would have created a priority waiting list so we would have had first crack at the appointments this week. At least the waiting in the cold for hours would not have been in vain.

[Kenneth Carlson, MD]

Sorry for your frustration. Out of our total doses there were two different forms of the vaccine making up that total. We had received about 1/3 of doses as pre-filled syringed licensed for 6M to 36M old and 2/3 of doses as multi-dose syringes licenses for all ages. If the multidose form (for all ages) runs out first then that would allow us to only immunize the younger children as that is the group that form is licensed for. The decision was not a last minute rationing decision but rather occurred due to multi-dose vials being used up. We are 100% dependent on the health department on number and type of vaccine we receive in each lot.

We are constantly reevaluating how we get this important vaccine to our patients. Keep an eye on our website as our senior staff meets to consider when and how to schedule appointments. We will continue to post updates when new information is avaiable.

[Amanda]

The idea of a waiting list is an excellent idea. I hear that other clinics are taking this approach. With children of this age group being of the high priority population it seems best to offer other methods to help parents get them vaccinated other than just the walk in clinic method. I do understand that the alottments are coming in slowly, but I also would think that offering appts would not only be helpful for parents but as well as streamline clinical operations at CHAOS, and of course most importantly get the children's needs met. Please consider doing a waitlist for appointments, I would move mountains if this was an option for my child.

[Vickie]

I much prefer the idea of shot appointments. As frustrating as it will be to try to get through on the phone lines, I'd rather do that then stand in line for 3 hours just to be told you ran out.

[lananh nguyen]

I prefer the Idea of shot appointment is better for parents. My children had been sick because of ashma and flu we had to stand in line under the bad weather for too long then went home to be sick again!!

[Kenneth Carlson, MD]

We are listening to feedback and with the next batch of vaccine we plan to start taking appointments. Watch the web site for updates and we will announce when that will start. We are hoping to get more vaccine during the week but won't set up appointments until we know when we will receive the vaccine and confirmed the number and what type of doses.

[Jenny Wilfong]

Thank you for posting updates! I drove to the clinic this saturday because my 7 month old son needs the H1N1, he has had the regular flu shot. But when I got there the line was wrapped aroudn the building and I decided we didn't need to stand out in the cold and possible get sick (plus being around that many people is a risk in and of itself). So, you idea of making appointments is a very good one in my opinion.

[Shannon]

I know this is a tough time, so thanks for your help. I'd like to ask if there are any alternatives for those of us who continue to go to flu clinics and/or call for appointments, but continue to miss the mark? Where else can we go? Are there any other options?

Thanks,
Shannon

[Kenneth Carlson, MD]

Other alternatives include many school districts around Salem. Haven't heard about Salem-Keizer yet but have heard of many smaller surrounding school districts immunizing. County health departments would be the other alternative. I read in paper about Marion county recently having vaccination clinic scheduled at fairgrounds.