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Nov 4, 2009 10:51 am US/Central
Dallas County Holds Mass H1N1 Vaccine Clinic
County Gives Out Over 3,600 H1N1 Doses Wednesday
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
About 1,000 people were in line at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday morning when Dallas County Health and Human Services opened its first mass H1N1 vaccination clinic.
Those in line said they were pleased with how organized the process went.
Upstairs, on the sixth floor, an office wing was converted into a two-stage clinic. On the first floor, people requesting vaccines were screened about whether they live in Dallas County. Upstairs, they were screened again before being administered the vaccine.
DCHHS asked that only people in high-risk categories be vaccinated, but some individuals not in those groups did receive the mist or a shot.
The categories targeted are uninsured people:
- 6 months to 24 years of age
- 25 to 64 years of age with underlying medical conditions
- health care workers
- those who live with or care for infants 6 months old or younger
- pregnant women
When the clinic closed the line Wednesday afternoon 3,616 people had been vaccinated against H1N1.
Those who came early spent hours in line. Those who came in the afternoon had no wait and were able to get in and out of the clinic in a half hour.
Wes Soriano and his wife, Lizet say they came for their two young children but were also vaccinated even though they don't fit the targeted priority groups.
"I was here because of the kids, not for me" says Soriano "but I just took the shot too."
Zachary Thompson, the Director of Dallas County Health and Human Services it was based on the honor system.
"I'm sure some people may have gone through this process" says Thompson. "I make no apologies. We're trying to do the best we can in terms of getting the vaccine out" he says.
Thompson says screeners will be instructed to be more diligent and he blames federal officials for not having enough vaccine available for everyone who wants it.
The county will conduct another clinic at its main office on Stemmons Freeway on Thursday, and again on Friday if there is still vaccine available.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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