With video: Washtenaw County may allow more groups to get swine flu shot with leftover vaccine

At first glance, the clinic went much more smoothly and efficiently than a previous vaccine clinic. But the county health department will be evaluating whether the fear of long lines kept eligible people away, whether supply has simply caught up with demand or whether some other factor impacted interest in the vaccine, said spokeswoman Susan Cerniglia.

It will likely serve as a model for the next clinic planned for Nov 14.

Those eligible for the clinic today included pregnant women, medical workers, caregivers of children younger than 6 months, children ages 6 months through 4 and kids ages 5 through 18 with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of complications from the flu.

The county may consider returning to the original Centers for Disease Control guidelines, which allow all young people ages 6 months to 24 years and those ages 25 to 64 with underlying health conditions to receive the vaccine at the next scheduled flu clinic, Cerniglia said.

Eligible attendees today had to show up to the clinic to get a bracelet to link them to a dose of the vaccine and a certain time of day when they could receive it. There were 4,000 doses available.

Health officials had canceled previously scheduled school-based clinics in favor of larger, central vaccine clinics after county residents overwhelmed the county's first vaccine clinic.

Early today, there were long lines at Convocation Center to get the first wristbands for eligible individuals. During many parts of the day, the line wrapped around the hallway that rings the center's auditorium inside and extended outdoors. Many arrived prepared with chairs and diversions for their children.

While many who arrived early complained about the wait, they praised the organization of the clinic. Later in the day, the line dwindled to fraction of the wait time.

Wristbands will probably be used again, but the health department is looking into ways to get them out more quickly earlier in the next clinic since more residents arrived early to line up, Cerniglia said.

Ann Arbor resident Natalie Raeburn said she tried to stop at the county's first vaccine clinic last week, but ran into trouble parking and getting into the clinic, which was flooded by worried parents with their children and other members of high-priority groups.

"It helps it's well organized," Raeburn said today as her family stood in line with their wristbands inside the convocation center. She and her husband, Dana Raeburn, brought their three kids - ages 1, 10 and 11. The two older children have asthma.

People wait during a mass H1N1 vaccination at the Eastern Michigan Convocation Center on Thursday morning.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Among parents they know, there have been mixed feelings - from skeptism to outright alarm - about how big of a threat the H1N1 virus might pose to their kids. The Raeburns said they were convinced to come out by national statistics about how many children in the U.S. have died from complications related to the H1N1 virus.

Ann Arbor resident John Yi arrived shortly before 5:30 a.m. to get wristbands. His wife Kathleen Yi brought their 2- and 3-year-old sons, Daniel and David, a bit later to wait. They were second in line.

"I just want to take precautions with everything going on these days," Kathleen said. "If you can get it, get it."

They were in good spirits and waited inside the convocation with snacks and a portable DVD player, just in case, for the boys.

After waiting in line for several hours by the time the clinic began at 9:40 a.m., they were ready to leave about 15 minutes later.

A few issues cropped up during the day. For instance, although more volunteers were available to help get information out and distribute the vaccines, some backups in getting paperwork occurred.

Several people who were not part of the listed high priority groups showed up at the clinic this morning - some with doctors notes and some pleading their case to get a shot due to an underlying illness that puts them at greater risk of having complications from the flu. Some were surprised or disappointed to be turned away.