Lots of arms, not enough time

Rarely have vaccinations been so alluring.

Several hundred people lined up Saturday at a Papillion clinic for the privilege of getting a needle in the arm or mist up the nose.

The turnout at the Sarpy/Cass Department of Health & Wellness provided a solid measure of public concern over the H1N1 flu. Ultimately, 350 people received vaccines and at least 50 to 60 were turned away, said Dianne Kelly, director of the department.

The agency announced late Friday afternoon that it had received a shipment of H1N1 flu vaccine and would hold a clinic Saturday morning in Papillion. The line began to form well before the 8 a.m. start. A mother and her son said they arrived at 4 a.m. and waited in their car.

Until about 10 a.m., people stood in a line that stretched throughout Huntington Plaza, which is a string of local government offices and services at 701 Olson Drive.

The parking lot was full of cars, and a queue of vehicles extended along the Olson Drive curb. The temperature was between 35 and 40 degrees. Only those at the front of the line were allowed inside the health department’s small offices.

Nicole Skavdahl of Omaha arrived with her 13-month-old son, Joey, about 8:10 a.m. They briefly anchored the end of the line, but soon more people stacked up behind them.

Skavdahl said H1N1 worried her. “I’m definitely concerned for my 13-month-old,” she said, hoisting him up as he sucked on a pacifier. She wasn’t there to have herself immunized. She was there for Joey.

Kelly said the clinic was for those most at risk of complications from H1N1 flu.

Among those are pregnant women, health care workers, people 6 months to 24 years of age, and people 25 through 64 who have medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and lung and heart problems. But Kelly said no one would be grilled over whether they were in one of those groups. “It’s an honor system.”

Several Papillion police officers and Sarpy County sheriff’s deputies monitored the free clinic, which was orderly. Some small children broke out of line and played together, flapping their arms and squawking like birds.

H1N1 flu vaccine has been at a premium in the Omaha metro area. This was the Sarpy/Cass department’s first H1N1 clinic. The Douglas County Health Department has yet to offer one.

The Douglas County department has distributed 17,500 doses to physicians and other health care providers. The Sarpy department also has distributed some doses to providers.

Two physicians stood in line Saturday, hoping to get their toddlers vaccinated. Drs. Mary Finnegan and Christine Inguanzo had arrived too late, though. The clinic door locked at 11 a.m. and the line dispersed.

“It’s a little disappointing,” Inguanzo said. “We’ve been waiting almost two hours.”

Nicole Skavdahl emerged cheerfully from inside the clinic just before 11 a.m. Joey had been vaccinated. But he was grumpy.

“I think he’s just tired and hungry,” his mother said.

Contact the writer:

444-1123, rick.ruggles@owh.com

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