KOTA Territory NewsIs the flu causing panic?

Is the flu causing panic?

Cindy Davis

Casey Baker wanted to make sure she got her daughter vaccinated at the free clinic in Spearfish before the doses ran out.

With just 3800 doses available and long lines, she worried they could miss out.

"I'm not so worried about myself, but you know, in the amount of time that it's taken care of these little ones, it worries me," Baker said. 

As a mom, she's not alone. With influenza and H1N1 cases dominating the news, it's no surprise.

"I hear a lot about it and I worry for the little ones out there, especially mine," Marie Jmajerus said. 

The concern in the room can be measured by the feet through the door; 500 pairs in the first hour of the clinic.

But Public Health Regional Manger for the Department of Health, Wade Huntington says he's seeing what he expected.

"There obviously a little concern with the wait on getting the H1N1, especially getting the vaccine as soon as possible, but there's nothing we can do about that," Huntington said. 

Some think the panic button has been pushed too soon.

"It's annoying because we're not operating rationally," Bob Meyer said. 

Meyer says there's no sense getting worked up for nothing.

"The term inspires a lot of emotion, which it shouldn't. There is an official definition of pandemic and that's a man-made term. You collect the data and see if the situation we feel exists and is consistent with the definition of the term," Meyer said. 

The only one's who seemed to be worked up today, are the ones scared of needle.