[lit-ideas] Re: Homeland Security
- From: Eternitytime1@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 23:29:11 EDT
In a message dated 10/19/2004 10:01:03 PM Central Daylight Time,
andreas@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
A major health catastrophe is coming.
Hi,
Well, here in KC we have vaccines via the Red Cross. We started having them
do vaccines at our library branches a few years ago--we got an award from
them last year because of this. The Red Cross here also planned for
growth--so
that not only do they have vaccine but they probably will be okay--in spite
of the fact that KCMO and some of the outlying Kansas suburbs had their
health departments get the vaccines from the American Company in England <g>
but
the Red Cross did not.
The CDC has said that all the places will get at least 1/2 of what was
ordered--and then there will be some spreading around of what is left.
Tell your parents to come to Missouri. <g>
We did have a 'rush' at one branch right after it was announced that there
was a shortage--we had people driving from both surrounding counties and across
the state line. The shortage WE are having is not with the vaccine, but
with the fact that there is a shortage of nurses working with the Red Cross in
order to be able to accommodate all the demand--for they are two-three hours
at one of our branches and then scheduled at another place for another few
hours. (It didn't help that the student nurses lined up for helping at that
branch didn't show up...)
The thinking here is that once people relax a little, it will settle down
like it always has. They have almost always had too much vaccine at the
end--even when they have always stated that there might not be enough. (they
said
there wasn't enough last year, too)
What bothers us is more that the typical doctor office will not stock
vaccine--and the Red Cross and other places (ie. Visiting Nurses) will not give
them to children. Last year I had to drive Ben back to Lawrence, KS to get
one--will probably have to do that this year, too. (haven't gotten around to
it,
yet, but the doctor in Lawrence is aware of his history and the need...was
the one who told me to get one for him long before most people were giving
them to even adults...) THAT is the real problem--people ought to be able to
get a shot at the doctor's office (or as your parents noted, at least at a
hospital!) and that is something that does need to be addressed. It is kind
of
ridiculous (at least we have been thinking so!)
We are going to have to look very hard, as well, at the library's mission --
we have some of our admin who are trying to figure out where the whole
'community center' aspect of the library falls--we carry tax forms, register
voters, provide spots for the AARP tax assistance people, and now do flu
shots...and some of our branches are starting to do other sorts of similar
things.
(Once libraries started carrying tax forms, post offices stopped...some of us
think that the grocery stores and pharmacies which now do flu shots will stop
once they realize more and more how many people come to the library to get
them.)
Well, it's another reason to visit Missouri.
Get your shot and read a magazine (or the New York Times) at the same time...
Marlena in Missouri
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