Local mass innoculation includes swine flu

ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVE, PLEASE—Volunteer screener Linda Tigert asks Lisa and John Schwartz of Los Angeles about the state of their health prior to receiving their flu shots. The couple joined the nearly 1,400 other people who came out for the free, drive-thru flu shot clinic at the Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center last Saturday. IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers Residents from across the Conejo and San Fernando Valleys came in droves to the Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center Nov. 14 to receive free swine flu and seasonal flu shots.

Waiting cars stretched for more than a mile along Agoura Road, many drivers arriving several hours before the 10 a.m. start time to grab their place in line. Some gave up on the wait and decided to drive away.

Still, five local cities and several public health and safety agencies were able to join forces and deliver 1,324 H1N1 (swine flu) and 128 seasonal vaccines.

The shot clinic also served as an emergency exercise in case of a future disaster and tested the “readiness of the area” in its ability to dispense mass quantities of food, water and medicines, Agoura Hills spokesperson Chris Dodd said.

The cities of Agoura, Calabasas, Westlake Village, Hidden Hills and Malibu partnered with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Pierce College, Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and the Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center to coordinate the vaccine distribution.

Pregnant women, people who live with infants, and children and adults between the ages of 6 months and 24 years were eligible for the H1N1 vaccine. Older people with certain medical conditions were also eligible.

Dodd said the vaccines were administered in three forms: a standard injection, a FluMist nasal spray and a preservative free shot for pregnant women.

Annemarie Flaherty, executive director of the Community Center and the “incident commander” at the clinic, called the regional flu clinic a “huge success.”

“We were there to provide a service to the people,” Flaherty said. “Everyone who was in line received a vaccination.”

The clinic was manned by 170 volunteers, including Pierce College nursing students and registered nurses from Los Angeles County.

Because of the large turnout the 1 p.m. closing time was extended.