Last week Ottawa resident Greg Matteson attended a Grundy County Health Department H1N1 vaccine clinic. He received ticket number 115 and the last ticket for the injectable vaccine was awarded to the 110th person in line.

"I was there three hours and didn't get one," Matteson said, noting the health department still had the nasal mist vaccine, but it was the injectable vaccine he needed.

On Monday, he guaranteed himself a vaccine at the first La Salle County Health Department H1N1 vaccine clinic by arriving first in line at 9:30 a.m. at Illinois Valley Community College to obtain one of the health department's 2,500 doses. Actually, his wife, Cheryl, stood in line for him for part of the day since Matteson teaches biology part time at IVCC and wasn't able to stand in line for the 5 ½ hour wait.

Matteson is a cancer survivor and has had a bone marrow transplant, making him high-risk for the H1N1 virus.

Not far behind Matteson in line stood Ann and Bill Clemens, of Sheridan. The Clemens were babysitting their great-grandson Payton Morsch. The 2-year-old was to be vaccinated, but Ann said she and Bill were not considered high-risk due to their age.

"The doctor told us to bring him," Ann said. "We would be concerned if he got it."

The Clemens, who held the ninth ticket, arrived at 11 a.m. and realized it was going to be a long day, prompting Bill to go to K-Mart to buy chairs while Ann and Payton remained in line.

By the start of the clinic at 3 p.m., the line, which started near the gym's entrance, had extended to the back student parking lot and the truck driver training lot.

Laura Salz of Marseilles was near the back of the line by the back parking lot when she arrived shortly before 3 p.m. with her two children, Anna, 8, and John, 6.

The children attend Milton Pope School and while Salz had heard of a potential clinic taking place there, no definite plans had been announced.

"I wasn't going to chance it," she said, adding she picked the children up from their early dismissal at 2 p.m. and headed to the college.

As she stood at the end of the line, she hadn't yet received a ticket, but was surprised the line was as long as it was and was hopeful her children would be vaccinated Monday.

By about 6 p.m., the line at IVCC had depleted with the health department still holding about half its inventory of vaccines, but was out of the nasal mist vaccine. The clinic lasted until 7 p.m. and by the end 1,646 doses of the vaccine had been given.

Jenny Barrie, a spokeswoman for the health department, said the county would continue to hold clinics as it receives additional shipments of the vaccine. High-risk people will be vaccinated first.

The La Salle County Health Department recommends the vaccine to the following priority groups: pregnant women, anyone who cares for children younger than 6 months of age, young people between the age of 6 months and 24 years of age, people younger than 64 years of age with chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease, and health care workers.




Clinic for the medically fragile Wednesday

An H1N1 flu clinic for those who are under the age of 64 and medically fragile is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday by appointment only at the La Salle County Health Department,
This clinic is for those specific individuals who would have serious health consequences if made to wait in long lines among people who may not be healthy. Examples of some conditions that would be included, but are not limited to, are as follows: currently undergoing treatment of cancer; chronic suppressed immune system, such as HIV or an organ transplant; chronic medically fragile conditions that require closely monitored medical management; and people who require medical equipment who would have difficulty accessing the clinic such as ventilator patients.
To schedule an appointment, call the La Salle County Health Department at 815-433-3366, ext. 242, or press option 8.