Usually, organizations--governmental and otherwise--only receive publicity when they screw up. With that in mind, I like to give the city of Inglewood a pat on the back for a job well done.
With the flu vaccine shortage, it’s been tough going to find one, as everyone knows. As more and shots are being released, there have been doses given out to those over 65 and those with weakened immune systems.
Several weeks back, I took my great-aunt (83) to a LA county library location, where 100 doses of the vaccine were being offered to the afore-mentioned groups. We got there a half an hour before the start time and, already, there were more than 100 people in line. I had never seen so many wheelchairs, walkers and canes in one place in my life. And all who were not in wheelchairs were forced to stand outside in the hot sun.
Determining that she would be unlikely to get a shot that day, my aunt told me to forget about it. Later on, we heard on the local news that many of those same seniors and sick people had passed out in the heat.
A week later, KCAL9 News reported that more shots would be offered on November 13th and 20th at designated locations in the Southern California area. After searching the KCAL website, we picked one in Inglewood and drove to the site yesterday morning--the Curtis Tucker Health Care Center--arriving some two hours before the start time, just to be on the safe side.
What a difference a little forethought makes! Signs directing motorists to the proper place were posted blocks away. The very-courteous and competent personnel were present at that early hour and were able to direct the patients to the waiting area. Instead of forcing frail seniors and sick people to stand around, the administration of the center set up roughly 150 chairs--protected from the elements by canvas tarps--outside the entrance. Each patient was given a number and, when the number of patients equaled the number of doses, subsequent patients were turned away, so that they wouldn’t wait around for nothing. (My aunt received her shot and was duly impressed also.)
Knowing a little bit about having to immunize large amounts of people under government auspices, I was very impressed by these good people. My clinic was never run as smoothly as that one (and, yes, I was the boss). Congratulations, Inglewood!
