Hundreds of people turned out for the first H1N1 flu vaccine clinic in Kelowna Monday as many had to stand in line outside for hours to get their shots.

Interior Health officials said the clinic was only for the highest-risk cases—people under 65 with compromised immune systems or chronic medical conditions, young children, those caring for young children and front-line health care workers.

It was held at the Mission Creek Alliance Church on Springfield Road. Shortly after the clinic opened at 9 a.m., the line to get in stretched around the building.

But IH medical health officer Dr. Paul Hasselback said people were moving through the clinic quickly, noting that clinic staff were finding few cases of people who did not meet the “high priority” criteria.

He said while supplies here, like elsewhere across the country, are down, everyone who wants the vaccine will eventually be able to get it.

But he said the health authority may not be able to open clinics to everyone next week as originally planned.

As of Monday, the plan was still to open clinics to everyone as of Nov. 9. “It will be a challenge to open up vaccine clinics next week to all,” said Hasselback. “We cannot commit to vaccines we don’t have.” ‘

The amount of vaccine shipped here is down substantially from what was expected and next week preliminary numbers show Interior Health will only get 9,000 doses of the vaccine. In the first three weeks of distribution, IH received 72,000 doses.

In addition to Monday’s clinic in Kelowna, two other clinics are planned for the city—Thursday (Nov. 5) at Rutland’s Willow Park Church, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday (Nov. 6) at the same location from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

There was also a clinic Tuesday in West Kelowna and another is planned for today in West Kelowna at the Emmanuel Church on Herbert Road, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hasselback said with changes being made daily to vaccination clinic plans, the public is urged to keep checking the Interior Health website at interiorhealth.ca.

On Monday, some those spoken to in line said despite the long wait, they were happy to finally be able to get the shots here.

Bob Intengan, a heart transplant patient 2 1/2 years ago, said he expected the wait to be long but felt it was important to get the vaccine shot.

“This just has to be done,” he said 45 minutes after joining the line on the opposite side of the building from the entrance where people getting their shots were being allowed into the church.

He said he was happy to see so many people lined up as it spoke to the responsibility people were taking to not only their own health, but also the health of the community.

Nicole Horsman, in line with her six-month-old daughter Catherine, said despite the fact she thinks she may have already had H1N1—it was not confirmed— she was there to get the shot for both herself and her baby, who is just old enough to get an H1N1 shot.

“It’s better to err on the side of caution,” she said.

Two hours after joining the line, Horsman and her daughter were still in line outside the church.

Hasselback praised those in line public for their patience, saying health officials expected the clinics to be busy.

He said once inside, people were moving through fairly quickly.

He said few people had to be turned away yesterday morning.

Last week, he said he would prefer nurses at the clinics not have to “police” the lines to stop people from getting the vaccine early.

He said he would like to see the public act as a “community” when it comes to letting those in greatest need go first.

While he maintained that everyone who wants a N1N1 flu vaccine shot will be able to get one, the target for that new appears to be pushed back to the end of December.

Originally, health officials were to start accepting non high-risk people at the clinics next week.

With smaller amounts of vaccine expected here, that could be pushed to the following week.

In addition to the clinics, many local doctors are distributing the vaccine through their offices.

Meanwhile, the first clinic held in West Kelowna yesterday had smaller numbers by midday and the health authority issued a call encouraging people to go it that clinic at Sensisyusten School on the Westbank First Nation reserve.

That clinic had its hours extended to 7 p.m. from 5 p.m.

awaters@kelownacapnews.com