H1N1, Twitter, and Apologies
SteveSome folks that know me, or follow me on Twitter, know that I have been sick for about 11 or 12 days with H1N1 followed by an opportunistic infection that has proven very difficult to take out. Day 7 of antibiotics and I am just now feeling sort of normal.
This was the sickest I can ever remember feeling, and the duration of the illness is still stunning to me.
I beg you, go get your H1N1 vaccination, you do not want to pick up this bug.
Yesterday I took my son to a locally sponsored, free H1N1 vaccination clinic for so-called 'Phase I' patients, little kids, elderly, and folks in various at-risk groups. Naturally, there was significantly high demand for the the vaccine, we arrived at 10:00 am, and based on the volume we were staring at a four hour wait time.
Rather than have hundreds, if not thousands of people standing in a massive line on a cold, gray day, the clinic used a 'virtual line'. You took a number then simply had to return to the door when your range of numbers was called. So due to some smart, and forward-thinking by the Town of Penfield, NY, we waited it out from the family room instead of in the car, or in a lawn chair outside.
How?
Because in addition to on-site announcements, a low power FM radio station, and a web site, the town also provided updates as to the progress of the virtual line via Twitter updates, (see townofpenfield on Twitter).
What a great idea, and so simple. I was able to pop the Town into my 'Friends' tweetdeck column and easily follow the 'line' and return to the site of the clinic (about a 15 minute drive) at just about exactly the right time. Maybe this isn't really revolutionary, but it was convenient, smart, and at least for me a fantastic example of a municipality 'getting it' and providing value on Twitter.
Lastly, I want to apologize to the numerous folks that I let down, that I owe a response e-mail, guest post, or follow-up phone call. I am digging out slowly from this illness, and I ask your patience for a few more days while I get back to 'normal'.
Get your shots!
Reader Comments (17)
so smart! now for my local pediatrician's office to start doing this! glad you're up and about and writing again,
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So glad you are up and around again. Now I am glad I didn't give up Tarah's vaccine when the clinic asked us to. She's vaccinated. Glad P is too.
wow, I am so glad that you are starting to feel better! We have had a couple of staff down hard with this too. Overwhelmingly, people said that they were sooooo tired and just felt like they couldn't shake it. Hope you are done now!
And applause and kudos to the Penfield for using all the tools available to make it easy for you - and everyone else.
Glad you are feeling better, Steve, and I agree, that was a smart use of technology and communications to make the clinic process easier for people.
Glad to hear you're starting to feel better Steve-just in time for the holidays :-) Take care!
So happy you are feeling better!
@fran - Thanks for the good wishes, I was really impressed with how the clinic was run
@Lisa - Thanks so much. I am glad for the kids that vaccine is available, I could not imagine a little kid suffering through that.
@Dee - Thanks and I agree, this was a nasty bug and my full sympathy to any one who get stuck with it.
@Tim - Thanks, the Twitter updates were fantastic and I hope it catches on more and more.
@Victorio - Appreciate the kind thoughts, catching up with everything this week!
@Minion - Thanks, I suffered through the last two shows, I am looking forward to being healthy for the next one!
Hey buddy. Having had mono, two rough bouts of pneumonia with complications (please get your pneumonia vaccine -- it wasn't always available), and more, we take these things very seriously at Bloom & Wallace. So many good friends have been hit. Please don't overdo now that you're feeling a little better. And make it a point to get all future flu shots early in each season. Seems we healthy, independent seniors (can I call myself that?) have a bit of immunity from the last vaguely related epidemic in the early 50's, so we haven't been able to get the H1N1 until higher risk groups.
I'm glad to hear that you're on the upswing and feeling better! Be sure to pick up your "I survived H1N1" t-shirt soon: http://www.cafepress.com/dd/34726501. I hope the holidays allow you to catch up on your rest and football watching. :)
Hope you are beginning to feel better. I have no idea where my mind was.I knew you were sick but did not have an idea you had H1N1. The think the big benefit is getting better and the fact that the @townofpenfield approached the situation in much better ways than the rest of the country is a great way to keep people informed! Hope you and your family feel better soon and God Bless
Like all your friends, I echo the well wishes for a speedy recovery. As you know, both my kids were hit with H1N1 right before HRevolution. I wanted to have them vaccinated but the vaccines were not available where we live. My daughter is still battling some effects of H1N1 four weeks later. My son was able to get the Tamiflu and he got over it more quickly.
Great job by the municipality. I hope more local towns and neighborhoods begin to use Twitter as a means of communication. What a great use of technology. Glad P got his vaccine. YOU- rest up. The rest of us can wait for anything you may owe.
@Naomi - Thanks for the nice message, I have definitely changed my tune on the importance of flu shots for sure
@Jennifer - Thanks for the tip on the T-shirt, I have to get one! I did manage to watch a fair bit of football (an hour at a time when I was not dozing off)
@Ben - Thanks for the well wishes, I appreciate it.
@Trish - I do remember that you had your own family bout with this, so you know what I was dealing with. I agree about the duration, I am two weeks or so in, and still have an effect or two. The town did a great job for sure. Thanks for the kind words.
Steve, I can relate, going through the same unstoppable illness myself, it's no fun.
Just want to say that the clinic's approach to this is brilliant example of why Twitter is not a waste of time. It's important to keep educating people on the practical uses, before employers overreact to their fear of it. I cringe every time I see a seminar for HR on the legal ramifications of social media. Just seeing that as a topic will cause some people to reject it outright, before seeing what it can do to drive business.
I'm so glad you are feeling better and you do not owe us any apology. Using twitter to send out updates for the H1N1 ticket number? Absolutely brilliant.
@Stephanie - Thanks for the comments,since you have been through this you can relate, it is definitely no fun. Great point on the practical use of Twitter by the town. It does not have to be all 'scary' legal arguments.
@Michael - Thanks pal, I am glad that I will be able to enjoy Thanksgiving.
Steve - glad you're feeling better and thanks for reminding us to get vaccinated. Still waiting out here for supply. I'll echo what Mike said - absolutely no need to apologize! You've been amazing running the HR Happy Hour even while sick! Finally, thanks also for sending on the example of using Twitter to make line waiting less time-wasteful. It reminded me of the Disney line ticket system.
@Mark - Thanks very much, I so was thinking of canceling the last 2 shows I felt that bad. Take care of yourself for sure, and take all precautions!