In L.A., the Jobless Get Swine Flu Vaccine First

In L.A., the Jobless Get Swine Flu Vaccine First

Thursday, October 29, 2009

filed under: health

Editor's note: momlogic values the right of every woman to have -- and express -- her opinion, and this post is no exception. For those who have a strong reaction to the sentiments expressed below, we encourage you to make your voice heard in the comment section below or in our community.

Why is it that I, someone who has a job and health insurance, can't get the swine flu vaccine for my child or myself, while millions of jobless losers can?

Radical Mommy: For months, I have been calling my son's pediatrician's office to see when the swine flu vaccine is arriving, and for months I have been told, "We're not sure when we're getting it."

Anxious to get my son and myself, who has asthma, vaccinated, I started calling around to different doctors' offices. "Do you have the swine flu vaccine?" I asked hopefully. "No, and we don't know when we're getting it." It was the same conversation over and over again.

Confused about whether the vaccine had even been released, because surely at least one doctor would have it (maybe they even had it and then ran out of it -- but at least they had it), I called my sister in Connecticut to find out if it was available where she lives. Low and behold, not only was it available, but her kids had already had the vaccine. Jesus! WTF????? Why didn't Los Angeles have the vaccine???

Shortly thereafter, I started seeing local news reports on the free "clinics" set up in various low-income areas of L.A. (not every one of them was in a low-income area -- but put it this way, there was only one within 20 miles of me that I would even consider going to), where people were lining up all day long to get the vaccine. What???? Are you telling me that not only are they getting the vaccine for free (which I'm all for), but that if I want to get myself and my kid vaccinated, I have to take a day off work and stand in line with a load of people who seemingly don't have jobs?

How did I know that so many of them didn't have jobs? Well, let me tell you ... a lot of them were 16 and pregnant, many of them were still in their pajamas, and the rest of them, trust me I can tell, don't have full-time jobs.

I can't tell you how furious I am. I work very hard, and part of the reason why is for the health insurance that my company provides me -- but part of the deal is that I come to work every day -- not stand in line for vaccinations.

Now I know that a few of the people on those lines have jobs, but I also know that many don't, and I don't think that being jobless should be the criteria for getting the swine flu vaccine before other hard-working people who can't spare the time to stand around all day.

filed under: health

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I agree with you 100% The LOSERS get everything for free.

- Anonymous

Posted 10/29/09 02:36 PM

Not all of us jobless are jobless because we want to be. That being said I’m amazed that LA County and Riverside County seem to be getting the bulk of the vaccines and you can’t for the life of you find a vaccine here in Ventura County. Try having a at risk child and being told to drive into LA. Yeah right. And now I hear LA will be making sure that only LA county residents are getting it so the point is moot anyhow. I can’t even find the regular flu shot. I don’t get it at all.

- Pamala

Posted 10/29/09 03:45 PM

Our public health system in Canada allows us to avoid this…glad I dont have to contend with a private system…

- H.

Posted 10/29/09 03:52 PM

Think maybe the health care reform bill in the US might be a good idea?

- sevenish

Posted 10/29/09 04:14 PM

Those that mentioned the National Health care system…just wait for it to be worse! Hopefully they run it just as well as they do the social security system…Let’s all of our taxes go and pay for everyone elses health care. Anyway I would be so mad too about this! I’m not saying that the clinics don’t deserve the vaccine…they do…but they need to make it a more even distribution…

- Jen @ After The Alter

Posted 10/29/09 04:50 PM

Wow, this is an absolutely disgusting article. You are a massive snob and bigot. I thought that this website was for moms…not for rich, stuck-up moms who think they’re better than everyone else. This will be the last time that I log on to Momlogic.

- Alison

Posted 10/29/09 05:47 PM

I think you need to contact your political representatives as well as your local media. That being said I have to agree with Alison that some of your bigoted comments would be offensive and take away from your basic message. The swine flu vaccine should be available first and foremost those who fit the at risk ccriteria regardless of socioeconomic status. That seems to be how it is being handled in my state.

- Michelle

Posted 10/29/09 06:23 PM

How did I know that so many of them didn’t have jobs? Well, let me tell you … a lot of them were 16 and pregnant, many of them were still in their pajamas, and the rest of them, trust me I can tell, don’t have full-time jobs. ================ First off, the 16 year old kids on the lines are the ones hardest hit by the swine flu. Second, the preggos are also the hardest hit since they risk dying and losing their babies. I don’t know about pajamas, but I don’t tend to dress my best when I’m off so perhaps you may have mistook me for a jobless. This has to be the dumbest article ever posted on Momlogic. Just because you live a pampered life, no one has to cater to you and your kids. Wait in your rich doctor’s office like everyone else.

- Gigohead

Posted 10/29/09 07:59 PM

I agree with Michelle 100%. Your message was not completely missed but it certainly was offensive to read Jobless and Loser in the same sentence, especially since I am currently “jobless” but by no means ever considered myself and others like myself who lost their jobs in the last year “losers”

- Anonymous

Posted 10/29/09 08:01 PM

I’m with you Alison, this is the last time I log on to Momlogic. I don’t see the point of giving voice to ignorant people for the sake of “argument”.

- Alexcia

Posted 10/29/09 09:21 PM

Wow…get off your high horse!!! Just because you are jobless, does not mean your a loser. Sorry, it doesn’t go hand and hand, especially in this economy!!! I definitely agree with others, you are a snob!!

- Jenn

Posted 10/29/09 09:41 PM

- Jen

Posted 10/29/09 09:43 PM

Seems to me someone needs a reality check. People are losing their jobs, yes, but through no fault of their own. The only LOSER here, is you and your ignorance. Furthermore, go ahead, get your kid vaxed. We’ve just had a funeral for a child who died as result of the vaccine, and there are MANY more like him. You see, poor fool, when you receive the vaccine you are actually GETTING the virus. You’re getting SICK. Do you not understand that simple logic? Getting the vaccine is NO DIFFERENT than catching the virus from a stranger, family member or friend. Your body will fight off the virus the same, you will still suffer aches, chills, fever and all of the other flu symptoms, which means you can STILL DIE from the virus. If you really want to avoid the virus, wash your hands, encourage your child to do the same and wear a face mask until this little panic session blows over. It’s. That. Simple.

- Mother Nature

Posted 10/30/09 07:32 AM

Obviously, this piece was written when the author was mad/frustrated, etc…..I think her point was “why the heck can’t I get a vaccine for my high risk child when I have insurance?”…..I was able to get the swine flu vaccine here in AL for me (pregnant) and my child (2yrs), but I can’t find the regular flu shot to save my life!

- littlepeapie

Posted 10/30/09 08:29 AM

You should have first tried the Public Health Department if you were that concerned about the shot *rolls eyes*

- Me

Posted 10/30/09 09:20 AM

If you plan on continuing to write on this site, I suggest you change your moniker, as there is nothing whatsoever “radical” about this sentiment. This is a bigoted, inflammatory, insensitive and blatantly ignorant post for more reasons than I could list. For one thing, not everyone who is jobless is a “loser,” obviously. For another thing, regardless of whether or not you agree with the circumstances of a young girl’s pregnancy certainly doesn’t mean that those unborn children, who are some of the most vulnerable to flue, don’t deserve to be protected from illness, as your statement insinuates. It disgusts me that you would be able to say that as a mother. To me, this seems more like a thoughtless venting of frustration because you’re too lazy to wait than anything else.

- Caroline

Posted 10/30/09 10:37 AM

Also, dear Mother Nature, That’s not true. check your facts. that isn’t how vaccines work at all, and there are not “many children” dying from getting the swine flue vaccine. None of the cases of kids who have died after receiving vaccines have been proven to have been killed by the vaccine itself, aside from people with very very(like we’re talking HIV and such here) compromised immune systems and people with allergies to binders/carriers/other ingredients in the vaccines. the same with the Gardasil vaccine. Also, they’ve never been proven to be linked to autism, although some have been inked to schizophrenia. Stop acting like you know everything when you’re just spouting a big list of stuff that’s patently false.

- Caroline

Posted 10/30/09 10:43 AM

I agree qwith every one of the posters who find this writer exceptionally vile and not worthy of the space that this article takes up on this site. HOW DARE YOU! Who do you think you are to take pot shots at young pregnant women, the unemployed or anyone for that matter? If this is how Momlogic preceeds when they want to conjure up some controversy - I promise you I will not continue to follow this site. This women feels entitled to some sort of special treatment simply because she pays for her health insurance through a job she should consider herself extremely lucky to even have! The rest of the American public doesn’t happen to remain as lucky as she. I am one of those who cannot find a full time job in this economy and I don’t blame anyone for getting the shots before I can. I’m going to our family physician today to finally get the shots for my own kids…but I would NEVER complain that those in higher risk categories are getting them first. She should thank her lucky stars that she remains healthy enough to wait - many of us haven’t been quite so lucky (as the school announcements of absences continue to rise around here). Allowing someone their voice is one thing, but this is merely a cruel attempt at getting readers. NOT COOL!

- Reenie

Posted 10/30/09 11:15 AM

This is one of the most offensive articles I have ever read in my lifetime. I cannot believe that with the unemployment rate approaching 12% in LA county that the TITLE of this blog is “LA Jobless Losers get vaccine first” This is insensitive and disgusting. You are a disgrace to mothers everywhere. You should be more sensitive to the economy going on. Many many people are out of work and this is disgraceful and disgusting.

- Normandie

Posted 10/30/09 12:40 PM

Hey, I’d be angry too if I were “Radical Mommy.” After all, the “jobless losers” are obviously smarter than her. They at least knew not to keep calling doctors’ offices over and over to get the same non-answer. I quote: “‘Do you have the swine flu vaccine?’ I asked hopefully. ‘No, and we don’t know when we’re getting it.’ It was the same conversation over and over again.”” Ha ha. You see, jobless losers, that’s what super-effective, job-having people do. They keep using the phone over and over, so they don’t have to do anything obvious like check the Dept of Public Health website! Then, as a decent job-having person, you should complain about not being able to go to the clinic because of your big professional job. Guess what, genius? The free clinics were and are open Saturdays. Hmmm. Maybe the “jobless losers” knew something you didn’t — like how to use Google. Now that is what we call “Radical.”

- nance

Posted 10/30/09 12:45 PM