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JAMESTOWN — Ten-year-old Colt Childress pouted after receiving his H1N1 vaccination Saturday at GTCC’s Medlin Center. But for mom Tammy Childress, the peace of mind that came from getting her son vaccinated was worth it.

Colt suffered from pneumonia when he was younger, and given that history, his mother didn’t want to take a chance on him getting swine flu.

“If I didn’t do anything and something happened, I could never live with myself,” Tammy Childress said. “Anything to protect him.”

The Guilford County Department of Public Health offered free H1N1 vaccines on a first-come, first-served basis from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday.

More than 750 vaccinations had been given by 11 a.m., said Connie Lawson, community health educator with the health department. By day’s end, more than 1,800 people had been vaccinated, health department officials said.

At one point Saturday morning, the line of people waiting to be vaccinated stretched down Bonner Drive, said Steve Ramsey, the health department’s public health preparedness manager. “The longest wait we had was an hour and a half,” he said.

The health department and GTCC organized the clinic in 72 hours after receiving 6,000 doses of the vaccine late last week. Health department employees and retirees, GTCC nursing students and emergency medical personnel gave vaccinations on Saturday.

Vaccinations were offered to specific target groups, including pregnant women, those 6 months to 24 years old, and health care and emergency medical workers. Only those who did not fall into the target groups were turned away.

Health officials used a ticketing system to administer the vaccines, and Guilford County sheriff’s deputies and GTCC security officer directed traffic around the campus.

People were not allowed to camp out to get early access.

“We have worked very hard to make sure this is well organized, very efficient,” Lawson said.

Staff members asked a couple of health questions before swabbing the upper arm and sticking in the needle. The newly vaccinated were sent on their way complaining of little more than a sore arm. The nasal spray vaccine was offered to those who could not receive the shot based on age or health issues.

Dum Dum lollipops and stickers were used to soothe some of the younger ones, such as Romana Hayes’ 4- and 2-year-old daughters, Liliana and Gabriela. She said her husband, an EMT, also got the vaccine. Hayes, a nurse at Moses Cone Hospital, plans to get the vaccine through her job.

The family visited the clinic after taking the girls to dance lessons. “Dance was definitely more fun than this,” Hayes said of her daughters’ reaction to getting the vaccine.

Ramsey said he hopes to provide the vaccine to even more people. The health department receives doses weekly, he said.

Contact Jonnelle Davis at 627-4881, Ext. 126,or jonnelle.davis@news-record.com