Kane Co. views first round of H1N1 vaccinations a success

It may come as a shock to anyone who stood in line for more than two hours Monday night, but none of the three Kane County locations vaccinating the public against the H1N1 flu virus used all 4,000 doses that were available.

Health department records show 10,472 people were vaccinated: 2,980 at St. Charles North High School, 3,555 at Larkin High School in Elgin, and 3,937 at East Aurora High School.

People were turned away at all three sites, health department Spokesman Tom Schlueter said. Witnesses reported some sites cut people off from joining the lines at 8:15 p.m. in order to be finished by 9 p.m. Appointments were given to people to come to a supplemental vaccination clinic Wednesday at the Kane County Fairgrounds. Only those with an appointment for the clinic will be allowed to participate.

Schlueter said the health department was happy with the turnout and the performance of its volunteers administering the vaccinations. In order to get through all 4,000 vaccinations in five hours, nurses would've had to run through 800 doses each hour.

"We got 10,500 people protected against the flu in one day," Schlueter said. "We got a lot of people through in those five hours."

Not enough in the eyes of some people who viewed the long lines and seemingly impossible search of parking as significant deterrents to getting the vaccination they've already waited a long time for.

Mitch Jacobs, a psychologist from Elgin, said he arrived at Larkin High School and saw a line that stretched from the front of the school, down the street for two blocks, then snaking further south for another couple blocks. And that was a full 30 minutes before the vaccinations even began.

"I just gave up," Jacobs said. "It just seemed like a real nightmare. They've got to come up with more doses and just get it out."

At 64, Jacobs is beyond the typical high-risk group. But his primary doctor advised him to get the vaccination because of his health problems.

"I'm just frustrated with the lack of getting the vaccine, and then they keep scaring people about the virus," Jacobs said. "Don't go out and tell us it's an emergency, and go get your vaccine, and it's not available."

Jacobs said he'll try again in two weeks at one of the other vaccination clinics. In the meantime, he's hoping he doesn't get sick.

"I'll be very aggravated if I get H1N1 while I'm waiting," Jacobs said.

The health department expects to receive more doses this week in time for the second round of public vaccinations on Monday. There are no plans to change the way the vaccinations clinics are organized.