Md. Residents Travel to DC H1N1 Clinics

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Long lines for swine flu vaccine clinics in the D.C. area are nothing new, but at two clinics held in the District on Thursday night, some residents from the suburbs showed up in hopes of getting the vaccines they've previously missed out on.

An hour before it was set to open, the so-called swine line ran for about a block outside Wilson High School, with 150 folks already on the inside. The early birds began lining up at 1 p.m. for the 5 p.m. opening.

Pregnant women, children between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old regardless of their health, and those up to age 64 who have a health condition were eligible for Thursday's clinics. There was no mention during an announcement outside the clinic at Wilson High about a residency requirement.

"I brought my kids' birth certificates, my driver's license-- everything to prove we were from D.C.," said Laura Polvinale-Barton. "I just assumed that since there's a shortage, and we're being rationed by state, they would require some sort of ID."

But D.C., like other health departments, is not checking IDs. FOX 5 found lots of families who live in Maryland in line at D.C. clinic because they say they've had trouble getting the vaccine in their own state. Others went to D.C. because of the vaccine supply. Some previous clinics have only offered the nasal spray vaccine and not the injection.

D.C. Health Department officials say they had 1,000 vaccines on hand for Thursday's clinic at Wilson High, and they included both the injections and the nasal spray. Another thousand doses on hand for those lined up at the Hardy Middle School in Georgetown.

FOX 5 couldn't find any D.C. residents who were upset that they are lining up with their peers from the suburbs. At this point, it seems everybody's just trying to get vaccinated.