HOUSTON—An H1N1 flu vaccine clinic in Montgomery County had such a big turnout of those wishing to vaccinated, they had to turn people away Saturday.
Many started lining up just after midnight at Conroe High School for the clinic that was scheduled to start at 9 a.m., in hopes of getting a ticket to better health.
“Most of the time I was asleep,” said Rhiannon Bartlett. Her mother said they camped out in their truck all night and received the first tickets for the vaccine.
By daybreak, hundreds more were waiting for a ticket that would get them through the door to get a shot.
“By the time we got here, officials were handing out tickets pretty actively,” said Brett Kortkamp, who was waiting to get his 4-year-old son vaccinated.
A thousand doses of the sought-after vaccine were available on a first-come, first-served basis and to those considered high-risk.
“My OB has been out of them and the pediatrician,” said Lori Steinebaugh, who is seven months pregnant and the mother of two young girls. “They haven’t received them, so we’re just trying to get them.”
Being pregnant, Steinebaugh qualifies as high-risk. Others included in the group are children six months and older, children with chronic conditions and caregivers of children younger than six months of age.
Another mother brought her children and waited in the long lines to get what they hoped would be protection against H1N1.
Maria Sedano brought her seven children to be vaccinated and didn’t have to spend a dime.
Sedano said she went to a local doctor, but since her children didn’t have insurance or Medicaid that this was a great opportunity for them.
The H1N1 vaccine has been in short supply. Last month, Montgomery County only received 200 doses, but now things are beginning to improve. This month, the county received 3,600 doses of the vaccine.
More vaccine has been made available for clinics to be held in the Greater-Houston area this week. Houston just received a new shipment of 16,000 doses and Galveston County received a new shipment of 2,400 doses.
Judging by the turnout in Montgomery County today, the upcoming clinics should have a lot of takers.
Montgomery County will hold more clinics on the following:
November 21:
Lynn Lucas Middle School
1304 N. Campbell Street
Willis, Texas
9a.m. – 12 p.m.
December 5:
New Caney Sixth Grade Campus
22784 Highway 59 south
New Caney, Texas
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
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