SALINAS, Calif. - Health officials in Monterey County and Santa Cruz County held their first free clinics to administer the latest supply of the H1-N1 vaccine and the patient public was prepared for the long lines.

"I've never seen a line like this before," says a Salinas Resident.

There was a busy scene at Hartnell College this morning.  Hundreds of people settled themselves in line to make sure they got one of the 50,000 swine flu vaccines shipped to Monterey County.

"The line's really long.  We've been here since about 8'o'clock," says Salinas resident Matt Barcley.

"I've been here since 6:30 this morning; it’s probably almost 10 am by now.  I know the wait is long, but it's worth the wait," says Salinas resident Michelle Reyes.

Even with the wait, health officials wanted to make sure the vaccine went to those who needed it most.  Before the doors opened at 10, nurses went down the line to make sure people were in a high-risk category to catch the swine flu.  Pregnant women, children and seniors with chronic lung conditions were prioritized.  James Marsh is one of many parents waiting in line and says the vaccine is crucial for his kids' health.

"I have an at risk infant at home, who just got out of open heart surgery and I have my daughters here getting swine flu vaccine and if it wasn't available to them and if they brought the swine flu back home with them, it could be catastrophic for my son," says James Marsh.

As time passed by, the line grew smaller.

“Because it's [swine flue vaccine] new, as a population, we don't have a lot of natural immunity to it.  So we want to make sure we try and limit the amount of people that get it," says Molly Hubbard with the Monterey County Health Department.

The health department says right now they are limited on vaccines and that's the reason for the screenings today.  However, there will be plenty for everyone who wants it sometime next month.