By Kathryn Reed

A line of parents and children streamed out of Bijou Community School and down the hall – all in an attempt to not get the flu.

Barton Community Hospital staff dispensed the nasal vaccination for the H1N1 flu for free to ages 2-9 on Thursday.

“I figured we might as well give it a shot. He goes to preschool and is around lots of other kids,” said Jeff Michalak after his 3-year-old son, Alex, was vaccinated. “If it can prevent him from getting sick, I might as well do it.”

Alex Michalak, 3, isn't thrilled to receive the H1N1 vaccine. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Alex wrinkled his nose and clearly did not like it when nurse Marla Handsaker-Turk put the small device in his nostril.

She and the other nurses doling out vaccines did their best to calm the youngsters, though a few were in tears even without a needle involved.

The event went from 4-8pm, but the line started forming at 2pm.

Barton received its first batch of the swine flu vaccine on Nov. 10. That allotment was doled out to health care workers.

The 600 doses for the children arrived Monday.

Barton expects to get more, but doesn’t know when. The nasal vaccine is a two-part process, so all the kids who were at Bijou Thursday will repeat the process – most likely in December.

The 30 Barton employees were also using the flu clinic as a training drill – which authorities said went according to plan.