Hendricks Co. residents crowd Plainfield flu clinic

PLAINFIELD, Ind. (WISH) - Hendricks County is planning another flu shot clinic for Thursday.

A session late Wednesday in Plainfield demonstrated the demand. The clinic opened an hour early because so many people showed up. Organizers hope, since they'll have more of the vaccine, the lines won't have to be as long Thursday.

Mother Veronica Romero said, "I got here about an hour early. When I got here, I heard it was a hundred doses. Then, I heard it was 500. So, I was really happy."

The health department said 500 doses isn't a lot when people want shots for their kids and for themselves.

"There is very little that's coming in each week. But, hopefully, this will ramp up next week and we can, if we get more doses into our communities, maybe look at hitting the schools in a couple weeks. Something like that," said Monica Smith of the Hendricks County Health Department.

The department is counting on the honor system at its clinics, trusting that the people getting the vaccine truly come from the priority groups targeted for this wave of shots.

“We definitely want to see all children six months through 24 years of age, pregnant women, caregivers of children under the age of six months, adults with chronic health problems that are under the age of 65 and health care workers that have direct patient contact,” said Smith.

While the crowds at the clinic may have been anxious at first, people left happy that they were there.

"I feel very lucky, yeah. And I hope that everybody that really does need a shot can get one, eventually," said one woman at the clinic.