Pregnant moms get shots 'for 2' in Bellevue
BELLEVUE, Wash. - Hundreds got the swine flu shot this weekend in Bellevue without any waiting in line - but it was only available to a select, high-risk group.
More than 500 pregnant women received the vaccine at Overlake Hospital, but they had to be registered to deliver their baby at Overlake to get on the waiting list.
One of them was Alissa O'Dell, who didn't waste any time protecting herself and her baby.
"It's just really scary - that's why I just wanted to come in as soon as I could," she says. "I got the notification last weekend, and I called as soon as I got it, and they were really quick to get me an appointment."
Overlake Hospital sent out 3,000 letters explaining the importance of women getting vaccinated. Since the vaccine is in short supply, hospital officials urged its patients to get registered right away.
"Pregnant women are at much higher risk for H1N1 (flu) than the rest of the population. They're the high-risk group," says Dr. Kristin Graham of Overlake Hospital.
Nine hundred women signed up for the vaccine right away, and there's already a waiting list due to a short supply of the vaccine.
"We didn't want to have a set up where people were waiting in line for three and four hours with pregnant women waiting outside. We wanted it to be orderly and organized and there's no reason it shouldn't be," Dr. Graham says.
After all, expectant moms like O'Dell already have a lot to get ready for without any added stress.
"It makes me really nervous," she says. "I mean, I work full time, and there's sick people around the office, and I just want to make sure I'm as protective as I should be."
That's what nurses and doctors here hope everyone does.
Another batch of H1N1 flu vaccine is expected at the hospital in the coming week, and then the hospital will schedule women who are still on the waiting list.
More than 500 pregnant women received the vaccine at Overlake Hospital, but they had to be registered to deliver their baby at Overlake to get on the waiting list.
One of them was Alissa O'Dell, who didn't waste any time protecting herself and her baby.
"It's just really scary - that's why I just wanted to come in as soon as I could," she says. "I got the notification last weekend, and I called as soon as I got it, and they were really quick to get me an appointment."
Overlake Hospital sent out 3,000 letters explaining the importance of women getting vaccinated. Since the vaccine is in short supply, hospital officials urged its patients to get registered right away.
"Pregnant women are at much higher risk for H1N1 (flu) than the rest of the population. They're the high-risk group," says Dr. Kristin Graham of Overlake Hospital.
Nine hundred women signed up for the vaccine right away, and there's already a waiting list due to a short supply of the vaccine.
"We didn't want to have a set up where people were waiting in line for three and four hours with pregnant women waiting outside. We wanted it to be orderly and organized and there's no reason it shouldn't be," Dr. Graham says.
After all, expectant moms like O'Dell already have a lot to get ready for without any added stress.
"It makes me really nervous," she says. "I mean, I work full time, and there's sick people around the office, and I just want to make sure I'm as protective as I should be."
That's what nurses and doctors here hope everyone does.
Another batch of H1N1 flu vaccine is expected at the hospital in the coming week, and then the hospital will schedule women who are still on the waiting list.