05:47 PM EDT on Tuesday, October 12, 2004

By JANELLE MARTINEZ / 6NEWS

Hundreds of people considered high risk for the flu stood in line for hours Tuesday outside the Mecklenburg County Health Department. The last of the county’s flu shot was given out early Tuesday morning and many were turned away.

The county had 1,000 flu shots left for high-risk patients at their Billingsley Road clinic Tuesday and they encouraged people to show up early. There were so many people lined up, a lottery was held to determine who would get the shots. Others were turned away.

The Health Department said the rush caused traffic jams.

Tom Allen got to the Billingsley Road location at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday. The center didn't open until 8:30 a.m. He said as soon as he heard there was going to be a shortage he made calls trying to find out where he could get shots for his children.

“We said we were gonna lose some sleep, get up early and come stand in line and give them their shots so hopefully they will be protected this winter," Allen said.

People were urged to call the health department to make sure about eligibility before they waited in a daunting line.

On Monday, hundreds of people could be seen in a line that snaked around a parking lot at the Beatties Ford Road campus. People there waited for three hours.

For some the wait Monday brought back bad memories.

"I feel like the day I was getting ready to go to Germany,” said Thomas Mobley, a flu clinic patient. “I had to stand in line like this to get 21 shots. It feels like the same. You just have to wait and be patient."

The health department ran out around 4:30 p.m. Monday and many were turned away.

Those that can’t get a flu shot are being told not to worry.

One local doctor said most healthy people who catch the flu will survive.

Hand washing, he said, is your best defense. But he says people in those high-risk categories should try to find a flu shot.