Thousands Line Up For H1N1 Vaccinations

INDIANAPOLIS -- The line for H1N1 vaccinations at Marion County's free clinics on Wednesday and Thursday snaked around the outside of Lafayette Square Mall, with thousands waiting for their turn.

Thursday's clinic, set to run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., had attracted 1,000 people before it opened.

Wednesday's event started at 3 p.m., with an estimated 1,200 people already in line, and was supposed to end 7 p.m. But hundreds of people were still waiting, so it was extended until everyone got through just after 9 p.m..

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Brandy Merry and her son, Caleb Merry, 4, who has asthma, waited for nearly three hours to get his vaccine.

"My concern was for his well-being," Brandy Merry said. "I just wanted to protect him as much as I can."

Officials said they administered 3,782 of the 5,000 vaccines allotted for Wednesday's clinic. Another 5,000 inoculations were made available in Thursday's clinic.

“We are amazed and inspired by the commitment our community has to its health. People who waited hours in line, many pregnant, others with children, were patient, courteous and thankful for this clinic,” said Marion County Health Department Director Dr. Virginia A. Caine.

A similar mass immunization event in Hamilton County on Wednesday was expected to run from 4 to 8 p.m., but was cut short before 7 p.m. after the vaccinations ran out.

All events are intended for those in high-risk groups.