We live in Chicago. There's a huge incidence of H1N1. It's rampant. At least one school was closed earlier this month because they had over a hundred cases. There are a couple dozen cases at our school. A teenage girl died as a reult of it last week. She had a previously unknown and undected heart condition. School events and games have been cancelled because of the flu. THERE'S NO VACCINE AVAILABLE. Not at the hospital, not at the pediatrician's office. Not at the internist. Not at the OB/GYN. Not at Walgreen's or CVS. Not anywhere. No one has been advised if or when they will get vaccine. (And I'm including mist).
The City and Board of Health announced they'd be having clinics at local community colleges & to call for the schedule. I've called. Every day. They're not scheduled, because THERE'S NO VACCINE AVAILABLE. The miniscule amount that's been shipped here is reserved for hospital workers only. That's good, we don't want them sick since they need to take care of us, but why is that all they sent?
Where's the vaccine? It's not like this was a surprise, it's been circulating since May. We're not some isolated place that wasn't likely to be hit early. This 'roll out' seems inept, dangerous and frustrating. There is a lot of anger about this, a lot of fear, and it's playing right into the hands of anti-health reform zealots who use the "do you want your health care handled like the post office?" argument.
Do you have H1N1 vaccine available for children in your town or city? Is Chicago a blip, or is this happening everywhere?