The Butler County Health Department vaccinated about 6,000 people for the H1N1 virus during its eight-hour clinic Friday.
At one point, the rush at the clinic at the Butler County Fairgrounds was too much for health officials to handle. The line was so long it had to be cut off just one hour into the clinic.
The parking lot was full. More people were able to join the line late in the afternoon. The clinic closed at 6 p.m.
There will be another clinic for people classified as high-risk Saturday at the fairgrounds from 8 a.m. –5 p.m.
The director of the Butler County Health Department suggests you do not come first thing in the morning. She says that's what backed up the line Friday. People started lining up at 6:30 a.m.
She says if people spread out their arrival time, they won't have as long to wait and the parking lot won't get full.
Part of the reason for the tremendous turnout is that people desperate for the vaccine came here from other states. The vaccine is a part of a federal program, so no one can be turned away because they live in another county or state.
Some people waited for hours in the rain with their families.
Brett Starr brought his three children to the clinic.
"I think I'm glad I got here a couple hours early. It's always worth it for your kids. We'd wait two days, two months," he said.
The rush was over the 12,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine. The clinic was designated for people who are high-risk. Some got the shot. Others got the nasal mist.
"It has been a bit overwhelming," said Pat Burg, director of the Butler County Health Department.
"This is the first time for a long time that we've dealt with any type of pandemic and it's the first time in a long time we've had clinics of this magnitude," she said.
Health officials tell 9News that more vaccine is expected in Ohio next week. Burg suggests people wait for it to arrive in their own state.
Then, she says they won't have to drive as far or wait as long.
