A "Legendary" Day

Remember that scene in "I Am Legend" when the people are all panicking because they are trying to get off of Manhattan Island during the outbreak of zombie-people? Well, I was reminded of that today when the kids, my friend Natalie, and I went to get our H1N1 immunizations at the Walter Baker Sports Centre in Barrhaven.

We arrived at 12:45 - an hour and 45 minutes before the clinic even opened and after an hour in line were handed a numbered bracelet and asked to come back at 4:30. There were already over 1000 people in line ahead of us. They were quite professional and efficient about the process; making sure the line was moving well and didn't get bogged down by all of the strollers trying to manoeuvre around one another. This was by-far the highlight of the day. There were waiting areas available for people wanted to stay to wait, but they were not going to get in any sooner. Natalie lives just down the street so we went back to her house to give the kids some play time before returning to the centre around 3:45.

It was a zoo. Kids crying, people crowded into a corridor with little ventilation, breathing each others' warm moist air. *shudder*. Fortunately we avoided the corridor for about half of our wait time. The other half we tried to go down the the less crowded end where we could open an outside door. I had moments of panic when I saw the crowds and kids coughing and could imagine my wee ones breathing in the germs. But I was encouraged to see some very responsible parents teaching their kids to cough into their elbow, or don masks. I just tried to keep more than 1m away from anyone showing signs of illness.

As the afternoon wore on the officials seemed to come up with a more efficient way of batching the people. Instead of calling numbers in blocks of 200, they started to call them in blocks of 50. This at least made us feel better since the line moved more quickly and numbers were called more frequently.

We got vaccinated at 6:15pm.

It was an epic day - but I have learned how to brave the immunization clinics by picking up a few tips based on today.

1) Go early in the morning to get your ticket. The kids don't have to be there, just an adult who can say how many bracelets you need for your family. Be prepared to wait a hour or so.

2) Bring your spouse/a friend. It was great to have Natalie there. She was able to take Isaiah to see the pool or the hockey rink or to run down an empty hallway - away from the crowds. I was so proud - he didn't have a single meltdown despite all of the waiting. I was able to listen for numbers and keep Lucy covered up in her stroller.

3) Bring a stroller. Yes, they're big and cumbersome but you will do a lot of waiting and it is really nice to have a place to put your kid.

4) Go back to the clinic about an hour after they say to come back. If your number group has been called they will let you go to the front of the line so you don't have to worry about waiting until the end if you miss.

5) Do your paperwork while you wait in line - when you get to the screening nurse at the head of the line you get to skip the screening desk and go right to the immunization line. It was a welcome surprise.

6) Bring food - they did have a couple of refreshment carts going around but the food and drink was a bit pricey

7) If you have a cough, wear a mask. I really appreciated the people wearing them because they were sick. That being said, the paranoid mom in front me me wearing the mask, with her nanny in a mask and her 2 year-old in a mask, both kids under blankets in separate strollers made me feel alarmed and anxious. I understand caution - but fear mongering isn't healthy - especially in a confined space with a lot of people.

8) If you have a question -ask. The city officials there were very courteous and helpful, even when people were crowding around them or would get frustrated and angry.

I hope things have calmed down in a month when I have to take the kids back for their second dose. In the meantime - Good luck to you all. Let me know if you find any of these tips helpful on your vaccination day!