Carson-Tahoe Hospital's first shipment of flu vaccines finally arrived, and the season's first free flu shot clinic opened to a full crowd at the Carson Mall Monday afternoon.
Lines snaked around the mall about 1 p.m., but they were moving fast.
"Business has been very brisk," said Nina Toledo of Carson-Tahoe's human resources department. "We had 2,000 vaccines to distribute here today, and we administered 500 in the first hour."
"We read about it in the paper yesterday. I work in day care, so I like to get it early, but they (vaccines) haven't been available," Dayton resident Maggie Leaderbrand said. "Normally, we get our shots the first of October. We've been waiting a month."
Flu vaccines reached providers later than usual nationwide due to problems manufacturing one strain of the medicine, and Carson City was no exception.
"We haven't had any vaccine until now, so we're excited, and grateful. This is wonderful, " Terry Long, a registered nurse at Carson-Tahoe, said.
Due to limited supplies and the late arrival of vaccines, the clinic is focusing primarily on high risk individuals: those 65 or older, adults and children with chronic pulmonary disorders or any metabolic disease, kidney dysfunction, blood disorders, or anyone who has an immune system problem.
Carson-Tahoe officials plan another free clinic from 8 a.m. until noon Wednesday at the north end of the Carson Mall.