The health department has set up a special appointment line. People may call Wednesday to schedule a time to get the vaccine to protect against the H1N1 flu, also called swine flu.

The shots are available to those ages 6 months to 24 years, pregnant women, people ages 25 to 64 who have chronic health conditions, caregivers of infants under 6 months of age and health care and emergency workers.

The health department will have 800 doses of the vaccine.

"I recognize it is not enough vaccine to meet the need," Dr. Barbara Brookmyer, the county's health officer, said at a public briefing Monday. "We have heard your frustrations, and definitely share those frustrations with you."

Three Oct. 16 clinics for seasonal flu shots drew crowds so large the health department had to turn away hundreds of people.

Other counties have been successful using a call line to schedule flu shots. Some people might have to wait, but wait times should be short, Brookmyer said.

Those calling to make appointments for Friday's clinic will likely face a long wait on the phone, Brookmyer said.

The appointment system was set up to make it easy for those who come to the flu clinic for a shot.

The health department is meant to be a safety net for those who cannot get flu shots elsewhere. The Centers for Disease Control controls how much vaccine each state gets. Vaccines from the CDC are sent to the states, and state officials determine how much vaccine is given to each county health department and how much is given to private health care practitioners.

"The majority of vaccine is made available to the private sector," Brookmyer said.

Maryland received less than half the vaccine requested by Nov. 1, she said. More vaccine should be available in the coming weeks, but no timetable has been set. The health department is offering H1N1 flu vaccines for free, but private practices may charge an administrative fee.

Doctor's offices

Frederick Primary Care Associates has received fewer than 1,000 doses of injectable vaccine to distribute among its eight offices and 10,000 patients, office manager Paula Paiva said. All the practice's vaccinations have gone to high-risk patients, pregnant women and caretakers of young children, she said.

More vaccine is expected in three to six weeks, depending on supply.

Frederick Pediatric Center has received only 100 doses of vaccine, all of it in the injectable form, said Brenda Campbell, practice administrator. Only the most high-risk patients -- those with cancer, transplant patients, those with cystic fibrosis or other high-risk chronic conditions -- have been given the vaccine.

"It was a drop in the bucket of what we ordered," Campbell said.

She does not know when more vaccine will be available. "No one can tell us," she said.

The practice is using a recorded statement on its answering machine to give callers the latest about the vaccine. Still, many callers want more information, Campbell said.

Vaccine location

Holy Redeemer Church recently bought the old Circuit City, but has yet to convert the building into its Sunday meeting place. Church leadership volunteered the building to the Frederick County Health Department as a fixed location for its H1N1 flu vaccination effort. The building will serve as the main clinic for the next three months.

"We wanted a location with ample indoor queuing space," Brookmyer told the Frederick County Commissioners this week. "Delivery of vaccination is so unpredictable, we wanted a place where we could set up daily operations."

Brookmyer said she made many calls to find space. "No one hung up on us and no one laughed at us when I said we needed a large space for three months for free," she said.

Staff time for setup and tear down will be reduced because tables and chairs can be left in place between clinics.

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