The line for H1N1 vaccinations Thursday at Benson High School stretched down part of 52nd Street, around the corner onto Maple Street and down two more blocks — 30 minutes before the county's latest vaccination clinic began.
Once the clinic opened, however, things moved smoothly. Within an hour, 530 people had passed through the 12 vaccination stations set up inside. There were 25 nurses and 50 volunteers helping run the clinic, officials said.
Officials said they were prepared to vaccinate 5,000 people during the event, part of a larger effort aimed at inoculating most of the metro area's schoolchildren. By evening's end, some 2,657 doses had been given, officials said, including the 548 given to Benson students earlier in the day.
People at the front of the line said they showed up around 2 p.m., and the mood was generally calm — save for a few screaming children — as patients made the slow trek through Benson's hallways and into the gym.
“It's not horrible,” said Taren Clark, who came to the clinic with her two boys. “It certainly went better than I heard; whatever they're doing differently, if anything, it's moving right along.”
Phil Rooney, a resource specialist for the County Health Department, said the more relaxed atmosphere could be linked to increased public awareness about the availability of flu vaccine and the knowledge that more clinics will be held in the future.
For example, another clinic will be Saturday at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. The doors on the north side of the auditorium will open at 9 a.m. The clinic ends at 3 p.m.
Another is scheduled on Nov. 18 at Bennington High School, and another is planned for Millard North High School on Nov. 23. Clinics will operate from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Rooney said the Health Department could potentially hold an H1N1 clinic at every high school in Douglas County with at least 1,000 students, depending on the availability of the building and vaccine.
Rooney encouraged those who plan to attend future clinics to wear loose-fitting clothing. Some children, he said, would get their shots in their thigh.
Contact the writer:
444-1068, johnny.perez@owh.com
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
