Clinics at Grocery Stores Offer Free Shots

When the school nurse called to say her 5-year-old son needed a vaccination, Esther Kramer Ortega knew where to go.

She skipped the doctor’s office, and headed to the grocery store Saturday.

At the Lucky store on Harbor Boulevard, the Ortegas joined about 20 parents and children waiting for free shots, courtesy of the Orange County Immunization Coalition.

For the second time this year, the coalition, along with the Lucky supermarket chain and Children’s Hospital of Orange County, offered free immunization at three stores, said Dianna DeVane of the March of Dimes, the coalition chairwoman.

“We take the clinics to where the community is,” said DeVane, noting that less than 50% of the county’s 2-year-olds are adequately immunized. On Saturday, the grocery store “is where people come. It’s a central place,” she said.

The outdoor clinics--which offer free vaccinations for measles, tetanus, whooping cough, mumps, rubella, diphtheria and polio--have been an overwhelming success, DeVane said.

During the past week, the grocery stores distributed flyers announcing the clinics and local schools sent notices home with youngsters.

On Saturday, a live band, free gifts, balloons and a live local radio broadcast created a festive atmosphere at Costa Mesa’s Lucky store.

But there were not enough distractions to put a smile on the face of Ortega’s son, Neal. As soon as he saw the needle, the kindergartner let out a howl.

“He likes to act a little,” his mother said, smiling. “It’s not so bad--he’ll get a chocolate bar later.” The grocery-store clinics offer a welcome alternative for large families such as the Ortegas, who cringe at the thought of having to spend $50 to $100 for a trip to the doctor’s office each time a child needs a shot.

“There is no way,” Ortega said. “I have six children and no insurance.”

Similar clinics in Anaheim and Santa Ana also had good turnouts Saturday, Lucky employees said.

In Santa Ana, 50 people were in line at the Lucky store on Harbor Boulevard when the clinic opened at 10 a.m.

In Anaheim, the clinic at the Lucky market on State College Boulevard had served “probably 30 to 40 people by 11:30,” said manager Gino Grammatico, adding that clinics at other Lucky stores have “gone very well.”

“Lucky is very big on community involvement,” he said. “We have been handing out flyers all week. People seem to respond to this.”

The cries of children who were not anxious to be immunized punctuated Saturday’s clinics. But it was not only children who took up the free shot offer.

Conagunda Galvez, 50, of Costa Mesa brought two of her daughters, ages 16 and 10, for their shots. And Galvez got herself one too.

“I needed a tetanus shot,” said Galvez, who took it without complaining.