13 WTHR - Indianapolis News |Hamilton County holds H1N1 vaccine clinic

Hamilton County holds H1N1 vaccine clinic

Noblesville - More vaccines to protect against the H1N1 flu virus will be available Monday in Hamilton County, but it's a limited supply.

The clinic starts at 10:00 am and lines were already beginning to form early this morning. At previous clinics, supplies ran out in about two hours. Today it's the same amount: 500 will be administered.

If you can't make it, a clinic will be held Wednesday, but that will be the last one for the rest of the month.

Because supplies are delayed coming in, schools are a top priority right now. Starting today, 5,400 doses will be given this week to Carmel-Clay Elementary school children who are signed up. Secondary school clinics have been postponed until further notice.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools received 3,000 doses, and will host a vaccination clinic for all students with high-risk medical conditions this Thursday.

"Most of the schools have been working with the limited supply that we have, and by that I mean they'll get the high priority groups within their schools system, and then when we're able to get them more, they'll hold other clinics to get the folks that fell outside of that group," said Tony Benge, Hamilton County Health Department.

The Hamilton County Health Department has also been working with pediatricians' offices to make sure they're getting the vaccine as well.

thousands of doses are coming in each week, but even a shipment of 2,000 is small for a county of this size.

The hope is that supply will pick up within the next few weeks to a month.

You don't need to show an ID if you're heading to today's clinic, but you must be in a high priority group: pregnant women, people 6 months to 24 years old, or through 64 years with certain medical conditions, health and emergency personnel, and those who care for infants under 6 months.

Also, in Bloomington, Indiana University will start giving H1N1 vaccinations Monday.

IU says it got 980 doses of the vaccine its first shipment. Students and staff have been using the university's online registration system to set up vaccination appointments. The first people to get the vaccine will get an email confirming their appointment time.