We got our H1N1 shots today.
The enormously long line
Our pediatrician’s office won’t have the vaccines in until early November, and with a kid who’s already been to the ER twice with croup, I was getting a little antsy. Keeping him home from daycare would mean that we’d lose a bit of income, so I dragged the family to one of the LA County Public Health clinics. (Click the link for a full schedule and information.) They’re open from 9-5, in most cases. We got there at exactly 9 and were out by a few minutes after 11, in spite of the ridiculously long line. My husband and I took turns entertaining the lad and holding our place in the line. Husband was none too pleased to be awakened early on a Sunday, but I don’t think I would have had a very good time dealing with the kiddo and the line simultaneously. It really turned out to be a two parent job, especially because just parking the car took a while, so I nabbed us a spot while the husband drove around for twenty minutes looking for a space.
The whole thing was surprisingly well run. There were tons of runners handing out forms with pens and clipboards. The line was long but moved, and the entire affair was efficient and managed professionally by very polite people. An elderly gentleman in front of me in line was given an opportunity to go right in. At first he declined, but soon he realized he would have trouble standing for the entire wait, and he was escorted to the front of the line. All pregnant women were given the opportunity to go to in immediately. There was a police presence, which seemed a little unnecessary, really, but I suppose with that many people it makes sense to have a few cops around just in case….I have no idea just in case what, but I suppose it made us all feel safer on some level.
I heard the expected conversations around me about doubts concerning the vaccine, but of course everyone in line had made up their minds to go ahead and get it, so there was nothing to argue. There was some minor media coverage. A woman behind me was interviewed by a reporter with a notepad. She said she wasn’t sure if she was making the right decision. She didn’t usually get the flu shot, but since she had a six month old baby, she and her husband were going ahead with the vaccination this year. The baby was just old enough for the shot as well.
An enterprising young man drove a golf cart around selling snacks. I bought a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich for $2.50. Robbery, really, but who can blame the guy? Captive market and all. This must have been an excellent day for him. We were at a sports complex, so there were a few baseball games going on, and those must have been his usual customers.
When we got to the front of the line, there was an ambulance, which spooked a few people. Turns out there was a baseball related injury and a kid was being transported. Almost immediately after I heard a policewoman explain this, a foul ball came sailing toward the line of people and landed just on the other side of the ambulance. It did not hit anyone, but I thought that would have been pretty funny, in a really dark way, if somebody came for their vaccination and ended up getting a concussion from a baseball. (And it would have been me; I think I was the very closest to where the ball landed.)
Inside the gym
There was a sign asking us not to take pictures, but I did sneak one in. I don’t think anyone’s identity is compromised in this shot. I just thought the whole scene was too interesting not to share. Those are paper plates identifying each table with a number. More runners inside double and triple checked our paperwork and directed us to tables. They were all very helpful and friendly.
I opted for the nasal spray, just to see what it was like. Also, I thought since pregnant women and kids under two can’t take the spray, maybe I’d be saving a shot for someone who really needed it. But I sort of hated the spray. The feeling in my nose was uncomfortable. Honestly, I’d take a shot any day over that. I told my husband as much, and he went for the shot.
We gave our son his shot last, since we knew he’d be the loudest. He is old enough now to anticipate injections, so naturally, he was pretty honked off. I breast fed him during and after the shot to calm him. (Breast feeding is not a contraindication for the nasal spray, it turns out. Still, I wish I’d gotten the shot–did not enjoy the nasal thing.)
And that was that. I’m very relieved to have gotten this over with. I’m going to read up on just how much immunity the first shot gives our son. He has now gotten his first seasonal shot and is due for the second one of those in early November. Second H1N1 shot comes in about a month. He actually is just getting over a cold, and yesterday his nose was running pretty badly. But a mild cold with no fever is also not a contraindication for this vaccine. Still, I was afraid they’d turn us away if we showed up yesterday with a snotty kid. So this morning when he was less of a mucus factory, it seemed like a better bet.
I’m not sure why LA County had the shots available before our doctor, but hey, they were free, and the whole experience was really not that painful. Since we live in SoCal, everybody’s big joke was that the line was not as bad as any normal line at Disneyland. Except the ride at the end wasn’t as fun, of course.
chanson Said,
October 25, 2009 @ 2:08 pm
That’s cool.
I’ve gotten an email from my kids’ school telling us that they’ll be vaccinating the kids there. The school explained that parents can choose to opt out, but obviously we want them to have the vaccine.
Doubting Foo Said,
October 25, 2009 @ 3:41 pm
My wife and I got the flu-mist version yesterday. It is scarce here in Jax.
bap2 Said,
October 25, 2009 @ 5:08 pm
My son received 2 flu shots last year because it was his first time. This year for the seasonal one they said he only needed one. If this vaccine is produced the same way as the seasonal one but just for a different strain, why the need for 2 shots?
We live in an area that is not big enough to warrant organized health departments but so big that lines are upwards of 3-4 hours to get this shot. I can’t do that twice, I don’t have the strength with a 21 month old.
This year our pediatrician didn’t even rate enough to get the seasonal shot, we had to wait for 2 hours at the ISD. Glad he didn’t need 2!
Liz Barnes Said,
October 26, 2009 @ 7:19 am
We got ours yesterday, at the Chevy Chase Rec center. I’m impressed with the efficiency of the public health department; if nothing else, this is good practice for a bigger health emergency.
My 2-year-old got the flumist, since it was the thimerisol-free option. We have to figure out where to go in 4 weeks for the follow-up. I’d be interested in your research about how much immunity the kiddos get from that first dose.
Julie Said,
October 26, 2009 @ 12:18 pm
Hi, Liz! Nice to see you on the bloggy blog.
FYI (and I have to write some more about this), there’s really no danger from thimerasol. If they only had those shots left, I woulda said, yep, shoot the kid up with it. Thimerasol was taken out of the shots as a public relations move, and it was a move that backfired horribly. The public thought, “Well, if they’re taking it out, it musta been bad!” But it was never proven to cause autism. It was good that we were provided with thimerasol free options just because that way more skittish people will actually get vaccinated and get their kids vaccinated. But that’s about it. I would feel totally comfortable giving my baby a shot with it still in there.
Jodi Said,
October 26, 2009 @ 1:08 pm
I’m a little unnerved by how hard it’s been to get both the seasonal vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine. When the vaccines were being shipped, it was implied there would be enough to go around. But, this doesn’t seem to be the case.
Got season vaccines for my two girls, but this was only after 8 or 9 phone calls to my pediatrician’s office. My 18 month old is too young for the clinics, so I”m really stuck going to a doctor. And, she needs a 2nd dose since that was her first go ’round with the seasonal vaccine. When can she get it? Who knows. The office is now out of seasonal and do not have the H1N1 yet. No ideas when they are going to get either back in.
Julie Said,
October 26, 2009 @ 5:07 pm
Yeah, Jodi, I can’t get seasonal for myself or my husband anywhere. Our doc is out, and Target and CVS have big signs about it. Also out. We got our son the seasonal shot at his well baby appointment.
H1N1, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to be in. I found out about this clinic and just decided to go ahead and do it, since our pediatrician’s office really could not tell me when the H1N1 would actually arrive.
I think you can get your baby the shots–over six months is fine, I believe. At least it was at ours. My son is only 16 months old and they took him. They gave us a form with the information about his second shot. So it was all pretty doable with LA County Public Health. I wonder if it’s different where you are.
worried Said,
October 27, 2009 @ 6:25 pm
Hello
I was wondering how old your kids are? My children are 4 years and 14 months old i want them to get the vaccine too but I’m really worried about the side effects,,i don’t know what to do really …we never get regular seasonal flu shots before… how are your kids now and yourself?
thanks
Julie Said,
October 28, 2009 @ 11:03 am
I am 40 and my husband is 41. Our son is 16 months old.
I did get a slightly sore throat and a stuffy nose. It felt like a cold was coming on. It lasted until Tuesday morning and that was it. My husband had no side effects. I had the nasal spray and he had the injection.
Our son had a very sleepless night–worse than we’ve ever dealt with–but I am not sure that was due to the shots. He’s also teething. And I’m still breast feeding, and I have to admit I drank way more caffeine than usual that day. I think a little Tylenol before bedtime would have helped. (Or maybe if I’d skipped that Starbucks run.)
Also, both my husband and I felt slightly (and I mean really slightly, like hardly at all) dizzy right after the vaccinations, but I actually think that might have been psychological.