One thousand people in the U.S. are dead from the swine flu.
Roughly a tenth of those are children.
President Obama has now declared this pandemic a "national emergency."
This, as people across the country line up in droves to get the H1N1 vaccine.
Many were turned away because of the limited supply.
Saturday in Boise, 2,500 doses were up for grabs.
And although some people were denied the vaccine, there are some doses left over.
It's probably hard to believe that when you take into account the line which wrapped all the way around the old CompUSA
building, with the end nearly meeting up with the beginning, that there were still several hundred doses of flu mist still
available.
Some were turned away, but for the most part, people got what they waited hours in line to get."Heard rumors that they were
lining up last night,” said Larry Sacknoff who waited in line for the vaccine. “Got down here about 10 and I was first in line."
Larry Sacknoff sat in line for twelve hours for the Swine Flu vaccine.
Not for himself, but for his 12-year-old daughter Racquel.
"Doing what a father has to do," Sacknoff said. "Two years ago she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and that puts her in
a situation of concern in regards to swine flu," Sacknoff said.
Sacknoff says it wasn't until two that others joined him in the line.
Then it began to grow - and grow - and grow.
Timothy Weaver stood towards the end of the line, hoping to get vaccinations for himself and his two children.
"I'm going to stay positive,” Weaver said. “I think at this point I've heard there are 2,500 vaccines that they are going to hand
out today and by my estimates, there are at least 3,000 people here in line, but we're going to do it until we get vaccinated.”
Lacy Dunn says she actually showed up at 7:30 p.m. Friday and waited in her car until five Saturday morning.
She's pregnant, which makes her part of the priority group.
"We knew that there were a certain amount allotted for pregnant women and we didn't need to be first, we just needed to get
it," Dunn said.
Thousands of people, each with a different story and different reason, but all looking for the same thing: the vaccine for the
virus that's overwhelming hospitals and schools across the country.
"It's everywhere it seems like, and you know, it feels good to be protected," Dunn said. "I'm glad to be done.”
Dave Fotsch with Central District Health says they had 200 to 300 leftover doses of the nasal vaccine at each location.
That's because they had more of that type of vaccine to begin with, and it's only a very specific demographic that can receive
that type.
Central District Health anticipates more vaccine on Monday or Tuesday.
The only problem is that it looks like it's going to be more of the nasal spray.
The vaccine clinics will continue each Saturday through November.
