Thousands wait at Elgin school to get flu shots
ELGIN — Thousands of people — many more than expected — lined the streets and hallways of Larkin High School to receive H1N1 vaccinations Monday afternoon and night.
About 8,000 Kane County residents showed up at Larkin on Monday, far above Kane County Health Department's estimates, according to an estimate by John Heiderscheidt, School District U46's safety coordinator.
(Michael Smart/Staff Photographer)
(Michael Smart/Staff Photographer)
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• Awaiting their shots
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• Related: H1N1 Q&A
Try these links for more information about the H1N1 virus, also called swine flu, or for more health information:
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Question-and-answer session with Tom Schlueter, spokesman for the Kane County Health Department:
Q: What I would like to know is if the doctors are not testing for this flu but they say you have it, do you need to get the shot when it is available? Common sense tells me no, you already had the flu; but what if it wasn't or you can get it again but worse? Or maybe if you did have the swine flu already, would the shot contradict that? They are pushing so much for this vaccine, but yet they say millions have had the flu already. Who should still get vaccinated? I have a 10-year-old who has asthma. He is in a high-risk group to be vaccinated. But he just got over the flu — doctors say probably swine, but not testing for it. Do I risk not vaccinating him, or can the vaccine do more harm?
A: The Centers for Disease Control is recommending that the people in the target groups (pregnant women, people taking care of infants younger than 6 months, children 6 months to 24 years, health workers, and adults with chronic medical conditions) get the vaccine, even if they have already suffered from other symptoms of the flu.
Q: I am diabetic and a bartender. Should I get a vaccination?
A: Persons with chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, are in the first priority group to receive the vaccine.
Q: My questions are these: Without a medically confirmed H1N1 diagnosis, shall I still get the shot? What amount of time is needed for it to take effect? My daughter is pregnant and due Dec. 5. Do those around her need the shot as well?
A: The CDC is recommending people in the priority groups get the vaccine when it is available. The vaccine takes about seven days to take full effect. People taking care of infants younger than 6 months are in the target group to receive the vaccine first.
People also are urged to contact their physicians if they have questions about their medical care.
The health department estimated last week that about 12,000 residents altogether would receive the free H1N1 vaccine Monday at one of the three community clinics — at Larkin, East Aurora High School and St. Charles North High School — which were the first doses to go out to residents countywide.
However, Heiderscheidt said that all residents who were waiting in line outside Larkin might not receive the vaccination. The department was aiming to give 800 vaccinations per hour at each location, with the clinics scheduled to be open from 4 to 9 p.m.. Heiderscheidt said they were "running behind schedule" at Larkin.
At one point, the line stretched outside the school, extended down Larkin Avenue to Jane Drive, then south on Jane for about three blocks.
Workers handed out yellow bracelets to those waiting in line, guaranteeing them a vaccine, he said. Those who didn't get a bracelet would have to get the vaccination at a later date.
However, he said the health workers administering the shots — student nurses from Elgin Community College and Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove — were going "to try and get as many people as possible in" before they closed up shop between 10 and 11 p.m., according to Heiderscheidt.
There were no special arrangements made for the inclement weather. Thousands stood in the rain, some covered by umbrellas. However, a section for the handicapped was set aside in the building near Larkin's cafeteria.
Kane County received 17,500 doses of the vaccine Friday — 8,000 doses of the nasal spray and 9,500 of the injections.
To get the vaccine, residents must have fallen into one of the following categories: pregnant women; people who live with or provide care for infants less than 6 months old, such as parents, siblings and day care providers; health care and emergency medical services personnel; people ages 6 months to 24 years; and people ages 25 to 64 who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for influenza-related complications.
In a process similar to that with the seasonal flu shot, Tom Schlueter, spokesman for the Kane County Health Department, said residents needed to provide their names and addresses on an information form so the health department could track the number of doses.
When asked if the district and city law enforcement were prepared for this crowd, Heiderscheidt said, "before St. Charles East High School closed last week, we (U46 and KCHD) didn't think there would be this many people."
"After it closed, we did," he said, explaining that the large crowd awaiting vaccinations was fueled by the closing of St. Charles East. The school closed from Wednesday through Friday after nearly half of its students went home or stayed home Tuesday. The school reopened Monday.
That's part of the reason why Carolyn Ascher of Wayne said she went for vaccines at Larkin.
"Local awareness made us come early," Ascher said, pointing out that she and her two daughters, Madison, 13, and Lauren, 8, had waited in the rain since 3:30 p.m. to receive the shot.
"I figured if we came here early, we'd have a chance of getting it," she said. Even though St. Charles North is closer to her home, Ascher said she thought too many people would flock to that site due to the closing of St. Charles East.
However, they were still waiting outside as of 5:45 p.m., only to stand in more lines weaving in and around Larkin's hallways. But they did get bracelets.
Greg Wolin of Elgin said his young children, Jennie, 8, and Jacob, 6 months, were getting the shot because "I don't want my kids to die."
"It's a flu bug that can kill you," he said. "I took off of work early so I could wait in line with my daughter and son."
Another Kane County resident, Jen Howver, said that her friends' past experience with the H1N1 virus influenced her decision to get vaccinated along with her daughters, Noelle, 5, and Chloe, 3.
"Three of my friends across the country, their kids got the swine flu," she said. "This is more of a preventative measure."
"I would feel terrible if they did get" H1N1 flu "and I passed up the opportunity to prevent it," she said.
When asked if she's concerned about any ill effects from the shot, she said, "I'm not thinking about it. It's blind optimism."
"There's nothing to know about the vaccination because it hasn't been out there long enough," Howver said. Her daughters "haven't had any reactions to any other vaccinations or medications, so I'm hoping it's the same case here."
The next round of vaccinations for Kane County residents will take place from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday at three locations: Dundee-Crown High School, 1500 Kings Road, Carpentersville; Central High School, 44W625 Plato Road, Burlington; and the Illinois Math and Science Academy, 1500 W. Sullivan Road, Aurora.
More information about upcoming vaccinations is available on the health department's Web site kanehealth.com/PDFs/H1N1/FAQsH1N1Clinics102109.pdf.
