By Wally Kennedy

wkennedy@joplinglobe.com

Chase Stone was the among the first in line Tuesday afternoon for a dose of H1N1 vaccine.

“We phoned in and got an appointment,” he said, watching as more and more families with small children arrived. “They told us to be here at 4 p.m. It looks like there’s going to be a lot of people here.”

Chase, age 12, was taken to the clinic by his grandfather, Richard Grote. Grote said he was thankful that his grandson was getting the nasal-spray vaccine because of the threat the new flu strain poses to young people who have little immunity to the virus.

“That’s why I made sure I got him over here today,” said Grote. “We don’t want to take any chances.”

Chase, who is in the seventh grade at Webb City, said students there are concerned about becoming ill.

“A girl two seats away from me has been gone from class for two weeks,” he said. “Everyone is like: Where is she? Where is she? We’re worried about her.”

The public clinic was staged at Access Family Care, 530 Maiden Lane, by the Jasper County and Joplin health departments. Plans called for providing 400 to 500 doses of the vaccine to those age 2 to 18, a high-risk group.

But only 300 doses dribbled in to both departments, said Dan Pekarek, director of the Joplin Health Department.

“We thought we had more coming in, but we didn’t get it,” he said. “We are, however, seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. We are filling back orders for physicians. Another good delivery this week will keep them supplied.”

In addition to getting the initial deliveries of the vaccine to pediatricians, the health departments have provided vaccines to firefighters and providers of emergency medical care.

“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but if we do get more vaccine we could have another public clinic in a week or so,” Pekarek said. “But right now, it’s a juggling act. We need to keep everybody stocked up who needs it — the doctors who are treating high-risk groups — and provide as much to the public as we can.”

Pekarek said Access Family Care was chosen for the clinic because it has available interior space and ample parking.

“This is wonderful facility for this,” he said. “It’s very manageable.”