Oregon Public Broadcasting

President Barack Obama has declared a national emergency due to the spread of the H1N1 virus. Meanwhile, dozens of vaccination clinics in Oregon have been cancelled because of the lack of H1N1 serum.

Kristian Foden-Vencil reports on the frustrations some are experiencing as they try to get a flu shot, as well as what the president's emergency designation means for health officials fighting the flu here.

At the MAX line in downtown Portland, commuters hurry to their jobs; shoppers peruse the stores, and workers take a cigarette break.

Most people OPB talked to are aware supplies of the H1N1 vaccine are low, but they're taking the news in different ways. 

Here are Kathy Dodds, Rosemary Sota and Steve Sullivan:

Kathy Dodds: "I would like to see more of the vaccine available. And I'm hoping that it's available for my young child most importantly."

Rosemary Sota: "I have no concerns about it at the current time."

Steve Sullivan: " I'm not that concerned about it. I'm over 50 and I think it's younger age group and children. So I'd take it if I was given it. But I'm not going to worry about it."

But there are a lot of people who are worried and looking for H1N1 vaccine.

Multnomah County has cancelled a slew of clinics over the next few weeks because of a lack of vaccine. Any vaccine they do have, they're saving for pregnant women and children under 5.

County health officer, Dr. Gary Oxman, attended a flu clinic on Saturday.

Gary Oxman: "Because of some changes in who got vaccinated as we went through the course of the day, we did end up running a bit short, but we've arranged to vaccinate all those people in the first half of this week. There were some people who were a little bit frustrated, but for the most part people were really amazingly cooperative and patient."

A look at the flu.oregon.gov webpage, lists county after county that is waiting to get vaccine before scheduling new clinics.

Meanwhile the state is seeing a growing number of hospitalizations due to swine flu. There are about 630 intensive care beds in  Oregon hospitals -- about 70 percent are in use.

Oregon Department of Human Services spokesman, Dr. Anne Thomas, says the hospitalization rate is high.

Anne Thomas: "It's quite a dramatic increase and typically we'd see a peak of hospitalizations at the end of February early March and only a scattering of hospitalizations before Christmas."

Thomas says the state is hoping to receive another 100,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine this week.

Anne Thomas: "I know it's frustrating for people who feel like they're shopping around, they're calling the hot line and they're told to go to the website and that has a list of clinics and then you have to call the clinics. But you know nobody is more frustrated than the people in public health who want this to work."

On Friday, President Obama announced a national state of emergency. Thomas says that sounds more dramatic than it is. Basically it helps health officials cut through a lot of red tape.

Anne Thomas: "Some of the hospitals would like to set up alternative screening locations to triage patients that come in with influenza like symptoms. And currently now I think the regulations are that you have to be within 250 yards of your hospital or you can't bill for these services. And in some of these cases that would be a parking lot so they'd like to do it in a building across the street or some open space where they can erect a safe and secure structure and not be in the way of cars. So it does things like that."

Another example might be a nursing home. Managers no longer have to apply to the feds before putting in new beds.

Last week, three hospitals in the Providence Health Care System set up tents -- just in case they had to deal with a surge in patients.

Providence spokesman, Gary Walker, says the emergency declaraion means now they could find somewhere bigger if necessary -- like a national guard base.

Gary Walker: "Now at this point, we haven't even had to use the temporary tents at our Portland area facilities. So that's something that would only come into play downstream if the situation changes."

Back in downtown Portland, we caught up with mothers who are taking different approaches ot the vaccine shortage. Carrie Sharkette has six kids and won't be giving them injections.

Carrie Sharkette: "I'm worried about what's in the vaccine and I believe that there's enough in nature that can help to take care of whatever is thrown at us."

Other mums, like Nancy Duncrack, says the governments seems to be doing the best job it can. She's neither angry nor frustrated, but swine flu is on her mind.

Nancy Duncrack: "Because I have a college aged daughter who has an asthmatic condition. And I'm concerned that there'll be an epidemic in her dorm situation and I'd really like her to get the shot so she's immunized."

Kristian Foden-Vencil: "Does she take any notice or is it like 'Mom leave me alone' or what reaction does she give you?"

Nancy Duncrack: "It's pretty much the 'Mom leave me alone' reaction. She thinks she's going to live forever, so she's not too worried about it."

Since September 1, Oregon has seen about 450 cases of swine flu where people have had to be hospitalized, and  15 people have died.