Calgary H1N1 clinics close lines early

People wanting the swine flu vaccine in Calgary were being turned away as the clinics in Alberta's two biggest cities closed early on Friday.

Clinics in Calgary and Edmonton have been open every day this week until 8 p.m. MT.Butfor thenext three days, the clinics will close at3:30 p.m. in Calgary and 4 p.m. in Edmonton.

All five of Calgary's H1N1 vaccination sitesclosed their lines to new people by noon on Friday to accommodate everyone already in the queue, said Alberta Health Services.

About 2,000 people already lined up at the Brentwood Village vaccination clinic received mixed messages. Some people were told not to bother lining up anymore, while others were told they could stay but were taking their chances.

By late afternoon, the Brentwood queue ended up moving faster than anticipated and some people who stayed or arrived after the cut-off were able to get vaccinated.

"Not well thought out," Lisa Damolin said of thevaccination rollout. "I think there's a lot of explaining to do. The health minister: Watch out, you're going to get a lot of calls."

In Edmonton, anAHSspokesperson said around 12:30 p.m. thatshe wasn't aware whether linesfor city clinics had been shut down early as in Calgary.But she saidithas been the practice of clinic staff this weekto let people knowwhether their waits in line would go past the scheduled closing time.

In related news, the province announcedFriday that a Calgary-area man died of H1N1, bringing the death toll in Alberta since April to 14.

Provincial health officials don't release information about the age orhometowns of people who become seriously ill from the virus, but they have said that 85 per cent of those who have died from swine flu had underlying medical conditions.

So far, 233 people have been sent tohospital in the provincebecause of H1N1.

Alberta should have 600,000 doses of the vaccine by Friday, the government said. Starting Monday, supplies to the provinces will slow down while manufacturers focus on an adjuvant-free vaccine meant as an option for pregnant women.

Provincial health officials have said there will be enough vaccine for everyone who wants the shot to get it eventually.

Assessment clinics open

On Friday morning, new flu assessment clinics opened in Calgary and Edmonton with the aim of easing congestion in hospital emergency rooms.

Before theCalgary siteopened at 8 a.m., about a dozen people shivered in line, eyeing the empty chairs inside the closed building.

"Adding to that frustration is that more than 200 people waiting for the H1N1 vaccine in the very same building are being allowed to wait inside," CBC News reporter Erin Collins said.

Joanne Yagelinski stood with her 13-year-old son, Cody, as he huddled on the sidewalk wrapped in a duvet.

"I don't know how they are going to explain that one, to have these people sick like this sitting on cold cement outside, and all of these empty chairs where it's nice and warm inside. At the very least, they should be keeping people comfortable," she said.

Daniel Gaisford was at the front of the assessment line with a flu unlike any other he's experienced before, he said.

"Basically, the last few days I've been sick with a kind of cough, body aches, headache, chills," Gaisford said. "Just I guess the speed at which the onset happened was a lot faster."

Calgary's assessment clinic at the Richmond Road location the same building where people are getting the swine flu shot is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Edmonton's clinic, locatedin the Duggan Health Centre, is open from 8 a.m. to midnight. Both clinics are open seven days a week.