SWARMS OF PEOPLE CATCHING FLU SHOT FEVER.Byline: Lisa Mascaro Staff Writer The frenzy for flu shots intensified Thursday with hundreds of people - mostly senior citizens - lining up outside supermarkets and pharmacies in a desperate effort to get vaccinated before retail-based clinics' supplies run out this weekend. Florence Giambruno, 80, of Northridge got in line at 10:30 a.m. at the Albertsons in Reseda, and four hours later was still waiting for the shot she hopes will keep her healthy through the upcoming flu season
``It's just a shame senior citizens have to do this,'' said Giambruno. ``Our government should have known this from way back ... but nobody took it in stride Adv. 1. in stride - without losing equilibrium; "she took all his criticism in stride" in good spirits to do it. Thank God, we're in the shade. Thank God, Albertsons treated us very good.'' Ann Davies Ann Davies (October 28, 1912 – 1975) was an American occultist. B.O.T.A. Successor to Paul Foster Case in Builders of the Adytum (B.O.T.A.), Davies served as Prolocutor General until her death in 1975. , 70, of Encino spent hours waiting Wednesday at another location, only to be turned away when the supply of vaccine ran out. She joined the line at Albertsons on Thursday. ``I called this morning here about 9 (and was told) 'they're already queuing up.' That was about 9, 9:15. So we just came right over.'' The United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. received only half its anticipated supply because of contamination problems at a major manufacturer in Liverpool, England. The shortage has prompted authorities to ask healthy adults to forgo a flu shot so that others in high-risk categories - including senior citizens, babies and pregnant women - can be assured of a vaccination vaccination, means of producing immunity against pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, by the introduction of live, killed, or altered antigens that stimulate the body to produce antibodies against more dangerous forms. . Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County was forced to suspend 189 flu-shot clinics it was scheduled to start next week. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors allocated $900,000 to buy up surplus doses of vaccine from public and private health providers. And by Saturday, clinics sponsored by retailers including Sav-on, Albertsons and Costco will likely shut down. Maxim Health Care Services, which provides flu shot services to stores across the nation, plans to distribute its supply instead to medical facilities, nursing homes and assisted-living centers. ``Our flu clinics have been very busy - extremely busy - because, of course, people know there's a shortage of vaccine and there is a chance they might not be able to get a flu shot,'' said Karen Ramos, a spokeswoman for Savon. Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, the county's director of public health, said he sympathized with those scrambling to get a vaccination. ``It's absolutely regrettable,'' Fielding said. ``It's something that was not anticipated and it shows the serious fragility of our vaccination system. ``We need a change in the system to increase our assurance we're going to have sufficient vaccines every year.'' The county hopes to be able to open its flu shot clinics since the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), agency of the U.S. Public Health Service since 1973, with headquarters in Atlanta; it was established in 1946 as the Communicable Disease Center. announced that more doses would be allocated to high-priority providers. Fielding said the county could get as many as 67,000 doses - about half the 130,000 it gave out last year - if the CDC See Control Data, century date change and Back Orifice. CDC - Control Data Corporation allotment comes through. The county was told it could expect the vaccine within eight weeks. Fielding said those who got a shot last year could see some protection from this year's flu strain. Health care providers said those who could not get a flu shot should wash their hands regularly, cover their mouth when they cough, stay home from work if they're sick and avoid those who have the flu. They also point to various anti-viral medications available by prescription that can help prevent the flu or lessen symptoms if the flu hits. Fielding said seniors over 65 who can't get the vaccine should ask their doctors about a pneumococcal vaccine pneu·mo·coc·cal vaccine n. A vaccine containing purified capsular polysaccharide antigen from the most common infectious types of Streptococcus pneumoniae, used to immunize against pneumonococcal disease. to help prevent pneumonia, which is a common complication of influenza influenza or flu, acute, highly contagious disease caused by a virus; formerly known as the grippe. There are three types of the virus, designated A, B, and C, but only types A and B cause more serious contagious infections. . The flu season in Los Angeles County generally starts in mid-November. Complications from the flu lead to about 1,000 deaths countywide a year, officials said. Dr. Stanely Shapiro, chairman of the Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente is an integrated managed care organization, based in Oakland, California, founded in 1945 by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and physician Sidney R. Garfield. Flu Task Force, said it's too early to tell how harsh this year's strain of the flu will be. But the vaccine shortage will most likely lead to a difficult season, regardless of the strain. ``It's certainly not going to help things,'' said Shapiro, who works at Kaiser's Panorama City Medical Center. ``Even with a mild season, there may be more illness or deaths than we might see.'' The danger of the flu is what concerns seniors such as Louise Ernstmeyer, 83, of Chatsworth. Her doctor's office called this week to say it couldn't provide her usual vaccine. ``I said, What am I supposed to do? Stay in the house and not go to any of the holiday parties or anything?'' She's heard about the long lines In communications, circuits that are capable of handling transmissions over long distances. at retail outlets retail outlet n → punto de venta retail outlet n → point m de vente retail outlet retail n → , and knew she couldn't tolerate an hours-long wait. When a friend called Thursday and said there were just a few people waiting for shots at the Ralphs in Granada Hills, she left behind her breakfast and a crew of workers on her roof. ``I just dropped everything and just went over there,'' she said, adding that she's ``relieved now. I don't have to worry.'' Lisa Mascaro, (818) 713-3761 lisa.mascaro(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: (color) In Reseda on Thursday afternoon, a long line of people waits for one of 200 flu shots being given at an Albertsons grocery store. Swarms of people catching David Sprague/Staff Photographer Box: FLU SHOTS |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion