Because I have asthma, I fall into the high-risk category for H1N1.  After all the news about lines that stretched forever, I dreaded going for my shot.  I had tried to make an appointment with my doctor, but although he was making appointments, after many attempts to get through I was told he was booked, so I should call back in about two weeks. 

The public clinic seemed the best bet, but who has all day to stand in line?  The local health unit had announced one clinic for all of Kitchener-Waterloo for Saturday, so I decided to give it a try.  If the line stretched around the block, I would just go home and try again sometime.

The parking lot at the high-school clinic location was almost full, but to my surprise, the line – half an hour after the clinic opened – was non-existent.  The professionals who were staffing the clinic were well organized; the screening, directions, and assistance were extremely well done.  The time from parking  the car to getting the shot was under 10 minutes.  I couldn’t believe it.

Given the time to prepare since the SARS episode, the Government of Canada has seemed to be all but completely incompetent.  Messages were mixed, time-lines changed almost hourly, who would get what, and when, was constantly revised.  And, of course, there was that lack of supply.

When it came to actually implementing the front-line inoculation, however, the Waterloo Region Public Health Department excelled.  There’s plenty enough blame to spread around for the confusion, but the professionals on the ground in Waterloo Region deserve high praise for their organization, sensitivity to those who were upset, and their efficiency.