H1N1 clinic draws a crowd

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. (WIVB) - Crowds are lined up to get swine flu shots in Williamsville at a Visiting Nursing Association clinic on Wehrle Drive.

This the Visiting Nurses Association's (VNA) very first H1N1 vaccination clinic and this one was by appointment only and you can see a still a small line that was formed outside the door. Since 4 p.m. 350 people were inoculated.

The conference room at the VNA filled up quickly. The Woods family of Clarence didn't mind. The busyness was worth the piece of mind the H1N1 vaccine would bring.

"They tell you they'll have it in a week or two more weeks and it's like they never have it. So finally when it did come up, we were quick to grab it," said Raymond Wood.

The VNA appointment only clinic began at 4 p.m. The health care provider notified many of these people via its website on Monday that it had 550 doses available. Within 48 hours, every single does was claimed.

Lisa Greisler, the VNA's Clinical Director, said, "Well, you know there's a huge community desire for vaccination. It's quite a serious illness."

This round of swine flu vaccine was available only to people who met the high risk criteria. The limited supply came as a relief to Katrina Hunter.

"Great relief. Now I know they won't get sick. I was already trying hard to keep them from being sick," said Hunter.

The vaccine's been slow to arrive in WNY. Health care providers in Erie County requested a combined total of 600,000 doses. To date, only 120,000 doses have been made available.

"It seems that that's what we're hearing. There's more that's being released," said Greisler.

Many people there told News 4 that they continue to monitor the mounting H1N1 death toll nationwide. Locally seven people have died in Erie County and two in Niagara County.

The VNA says once these doses are distributed, that's it until the next shipment.