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BY MATTHEW OLSON
molson@kenoshanews.com

Kenosha residents turned out by the hundreds on Tuesday for the second round of H1N1 vaccination clinics.

When the third, and subsequent, clinics will be depends on the Kenosha County Division of Health’s vaccination supply.

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Tuesday’s clinic, at Tremper High School, came three days after about 1,400 vaccinations were given at the Kenosha County Center in Bristol.

Due to a vaccine shortage, Tuesday’s clinic was limited to the mist form for targeted groups:

— Everyone ages 2-24;

— Ages 25-49 who work in health care and emergency services or live with or provide care for children 6 months old or younger.

People with weakened immune systems or long-term health issues, children under 2 and pregnant women were not eligible to receive the flu mist.

Hundreds were already in line when Tuesday’s clinic started at 5:30 p.m., with the line stretching from the school’s west entrance toward neighboring soccer fields and then turning north to 85th Street.

At the front of the line, Oscar Miranda of Kenosha said he arrived at 2:30 p.m. He said he wanted to get his 6-year-old son vaccinated and was concerned about the indefinite suspension of future clinics.

“They said this could be the last one for a while,” Miranda said. “It’s better to be sure than sorry. You don’t know what the winter looks like.”

Amy Hannaman of Kenosha, also near the front of the line, arrived at 3:30 p.m. with her three children.

“I wanted to do what I could to keep them safe,” Hannaman said. “The biggest goal was to avoid them ending up sick and being out of school. It’s a little more sense of security for me.”

After the clinic began, the line moved steadily, and by 6:45 p.m., the entire line was inside the school.

Linda Rossmann, a Kenosha resident, arrived shortly after 4 p.m., and she and three of her children were vaccinated by 6:30 p.m.

“I just want the best for my family, and they said this is the safest route,” Rossmann said.

Several people who waited in line were unable to receive the H1N1 flu mist because they had recently received a mist vaccination for the regular strain of flu.

Cynthia Johnson, Kenosha County’s director of nursing, said four weeks must pass between the two kinds of mist vaccinations, but no such delay is needed for the H1N1 mist if a person has received a flu shot injection.

Johnson said between 350 and 500 people an hour were vaccinated between 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Tuesday. The county’s vaccination supply held out on Tuesday, but Johnson said current supplies are insufficient to schedule another clinic at this time.

If the county receives enough supplies by the end of this week, Johnson said a vaccination clinic could be offered next week. Whether there would be flu mist and injections — or if the clinic is opened to a larger target group — depends on the types and amount of vaccine the county receives.

Johnson said the county requests vaccine weekly, but there are no guarantees as to what will be provided.

“Kenosha is ready and prepared to hold more clinics. We’re just waiting for the supply,” Johnson said.