Demand for the H1N1 vaccine is high in Calgary and at some clinics people lined up for blocks as they waited for their chance to be vaccinated.
There are four clinics in the city and there were long lineups as people waited between 2 and 7 hours to be immunized.
Men, women, and children began gathering before the clinics even opened early Monday morning and at one point security had to be brought in for parking control.
Once they do get inside, it can take up to 40 minutes to fill out paperwork and answer questions from nurses.
The clinic has also been a huge frustration for some business owners who say there is little room left in the parking lot for regular customers.
Because lineups are so long, AHS has decided that people who are waiting in the line as of 5 p.m. on Monday will receive the vaccine before the clinic closes.
All but the Richmond Rd. clinic will remain open on Monday until 11 p.m. to accommodate the overflow of people but no new individuals will be allowed in line after 5 p.m.
Clinics will resume on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. and AHS is looking at ways to improve access to the Calgary clinics, such as: redeploying staff to work at the mass vaccination clinics to administer vaccine, opening another mass vaccination site and permanently extending the hours at the mass vaccination clinics.
Around 4,000 people were vaccinated at Calgary clinics in the first few hours and officials say the clinics will continue as long as they are needed.
