Crowds take best shots

Deepa Bharath

More than 200 lined up outside a private clinic Tuesday morning in a

desperate attempt to get flu shots following a widespread shortage of

the vaccine.

Newport Urgent Care announced that it had exactly 200 doses of the

vaccine to give out at $30 a dose; shots are free for those covered

by Medicare, said Jennifer Amster, a clinic administrator.

Clinic officials planned to vaccinate people between noon and 5

p.m. on Tuesday. But the lines started forming as early as 9 a.m.,

Amster said.

Georgia Mahoney of Balboa Peninsula, said she anticipated a long

wait but not the four hours it ended up taking.

Only those with a high-risk health condition, infants, seniors,

caregivers and pregnant women are given the vaccine because of the

shortage.

Mahoney said she had to get a flu shot because she cares for her

90-something mother as well as a 4-month-old grandson.

“But this situation is frustrating,” said Mahoney, who owns

Gondola Company of Newport. “As my husband says, this is America, and

this shouldn’t be happening here.”

Diana Gondon of Lido Isle said she had looked everywhere but

couldn’t get a flu shot anywhere.

“I asked my internist, my cardiologist, pharmacist -- no one had

it,” she said. “I’m glad I’m going to get it here, because I’ve had

bypass surgery and a serious infection that was resistant to a lot of

medicine.”

Also waiting outside the clinic, holding on to her walker, was

Newport Beach resident Florence Holzgraf.

“I’ve had bronchitis and pneumonia, and I’m 88,” she said. “I

can’t afford to take a chance.”

People also came from other parts of Orange County, such as

Fountain Valley and Santa Ana. Most were given numbers and a time to

come back and get their shot.

Newport Urgent Care expects to get 1,000 doses of the vaccine

toward the end of this month, Amster said.

“We ordered it a long time ago because we anticipated this may

happen,” she said.

As of now, the Orange County Healthcare Agency clinic in Costa

Mesa has no flu shots to give, spokeswoman Pat Markley said.

“The state has told us not to expect any vaccine,” she said.

The state is facing a shortage because a major supplier of the

vaccine lost its license to manufacture it, Markley said.

“The situation is going to remain the same unless they

miraculously find another source,” she said. “The best way is to take

preventive steps so you don’t get the flu. It’s also a good idea to

stay home when you have the flu so you don’t spread it around.”

High-risk individuals may be able to get a flu shot from their

doctors or other healthcare providers in Orange County, Markley said.

To find out about community flu-shot sites, call the Health Care

Agency health referral line at (800) 564-8448, or visit

https://www.findaflushot.com.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers business, politics and the environment.

She may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

[email protected].