Billings H1N1 vaccine clinic postponed after vaccine runs out Play Video

Posted: Oct 24, 2009 3:10 PM
Updated: Oct 27, 2009 4:12 PM

Hundreds of people waited in line for hours at an H1N1 walk-in clinic in Billings on Monday, and RiverStone Health officials had to cut-off the line about two hours after opening the clinic.

The high demand comes following news last week that a six-year-old Billings boy died of H1N1 complications.

Folks from across Yellowstone County flooded the Shrine Auditorium to get the vaccine. Holly Morrow from Laurel was the first person in line, along with her three kids, who got there at 8:45 a.m. Morrow told us that it was worth standing in line to know that her kids would be vaccinated.

RiverStone Health held its first of four planned H1N1 clinics on Monday. Doors opened at 1 p.m. and the clinic is expected to shut down at 7 p.m. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the clinic is expected to resume from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., but it all depends on how much of the vaccine is left over. RiverStone Health has said there is 975 available doses for people who are in the priority groups.

The Unified Health Command announced last Friday that it would hold the vaccination clinics this week in one place to help speed up the process. On Friday, RiverStone Health officials also confirmed that a child had died due to complications from the H1N1 flu. Billings School District two has released a letter to Big Sky Elementary parents, notifying them of  the six-year-old's death. The child's name is being withheld because of federal laws.

The principal at Big Sky Elementary has apologized to parents for not letting them know sooner about the H1N1-related death of a 6-year old child. Officials did not learn the cause of death until after school last Friday.

Meanwhile, RiverStone Health officials aren't sure when the next clinic will be held, but say they'll find a way to get people waiting indoors and better informed.

We will continue to bring you more information as it becomes available. 

RiverStone Health has also set up a Flu Information hotline with updated information. The hotline can be reached by calling (406) 651.6444.

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