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H1N1 shot frustration and vent...
I'm sure you gals have discussed ad nauseum, but I am having such a hard time finding the H1N1 shot. My midwives have received it, but I've missed their clinic by mere hours because of the time I called. They keep urging me to get it and all I want to do is scream that I'm trying! I'm due next week and just hoping I can squeeze it in!
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Re: H1N1 shot frustration and vent...
There are some H1N1 clinics only for high risk patients in Boston. (you qualify) I don't have the details right now...
Also, the shortage is easing. MGH has enough now to vaccinate all pregnant employees...so if you work for a hospital you could try that too.
Good luck! I think you'll find it next week.
I totally empathize with you; I couldn't get it through my OB (they don't order vaccines at my OB's office, so that was never going to work), and I called between 60 and 70 different hospitals, hotlines, clinics, and doctors before I managed to get mine last week. (Literally that many phone calls -- I'm a schoolteacher and H1N1 has been rampant at my school, so I didn't want to wait until late November when my PCP will supposedly be getting some.)
The Massachusetts state hotline was of no help to me. They didn't seem to know anything about clinics in the state or where I could get one, even though I found out after the fact that Worcester had a huge public clinic a week ago (including people who weren't even on the highest priority list). I ended up calling the state hotlines in New Hampshire and Vermont and found a few public clinics for pregnant women, so that's where I drove to get mine last week (in NH). According to several administrators I've spoken to, public clinics aren't supposed to turn high priority patients away even if they're from out of state. It's still technically up to the provider, but I don't think you'll have a problem if you explain your situation -- I didn't.
Of course, it does involve a long drive. But after 70 phone calls, that didn't seem like such a big deal to me.
Have you tried this website for locating a clinic:
https://flu.masspro.org/clinic/
I was able to get my H1N1 vaccine today by calling some of the clinics listed in the link. Burlington Board of Health is having a clinic with H1N1 vacs for pregnant women only and no residency requirement on Nov 14th at the high school beginning at 11am. First come first serve, no appt.
Also, Newton-Wellesley Hospital has H1N1 vacs and is having a clinic tomorrow afternoon for pregnant women only. Call 617.243.6622. You probably need to leave a message but they'll call you back within a day.