Four-hour wait in Kzoo for H1N1 vaccine

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) - People interested in receiving the H1N1 vaccine in Kalamazoo County had to wait in a four-hour line Thursday.

Organizers at the health department braced themselves for a rush, but had no idea how many people would swamp the facility.

"We knew there was heightened awareness, but this was beyond our expectations," said Marc Meulman, the director of the health department. "The clinic was supposed to begin at 2 (p.m.) and we had people lining up as early as 9:30 (a.m.). By the time the doors opened up, we had lines well out the door."

Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department tentatively scheduled the following H1N1 vaccine flu clinics open to those in the target groups (listed below) for the H1N1 vaccine. These clinics are dependent on additional shipments of the vaccine. Continue to check the health department's Web site regularly because of the potential for cancellation due to a lack of vaccine.

A list of the clinics:

• Nov. 3 from 2:30 to 6 p.m. at Parchment High School
• Nov. 4 from 2 to 7 p.m. at Gull Lake High School
• Nov. 5 from 2 to 7 p.m. at Portage West Middle School

There is no charge for the H1N1 vaccine.

The target groups are:

• Pregnant women
• Household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age
• Health care and emergency medical services personnel
• All people from 6 months to 24 years of age
• People ages 25 to 64 who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza

The health department currently has no seasonal flu vaccines. Until it receives more of the seasonal flu vaccine, it will have no clinics scheduled at this time.

The health department is expecting more seasonal flu vaccines sometime in November. It will reschedule more clinics open to everyone at that time and will place them on its Web site and the Communicable Disease Info Line at (269) 373-5335.