06:52 PM PDT on Friday, October 22, 2004

By JANE McCARTHY / KING 5 News

ANACORTES, Wash. – Across the nation, the most vulnerable people are waiting in line for flu shots.

Last week, a California woman collapsed and died after waiting several hours for a vaccination. Now, an Anacortes man died while waiting for a dose.

Hundreds of seniors lined up outside the Medicap Pharmacy in Anacortes for the chance to get a flu shot.

The clinic was supposed to start at 9 a.m., but people were so anxious to get the shot, they started lining up hours early.

"I got there at 6:30 and it was dark," said Lorraine Patmore who was number 95 in the line.

"It was pathetic because there were a lot of wheelchair people and they should not be forced to do that," she said.

The Red Cross brought blankets, chairs and tents to try and make the long wait more comfortable. Inside the pharmacy, they were working as fast as they could.

"We were just trying to get them done quickly, get as many people inside as we could out of the weather," said John Thompson, Medicap Pharmacy.

But one man, 71-year-old Henry Chatfield, never made it to the door. He has a history of heart disease and collapsed while waiting in line. Chatfield apparently suffered a heart attack.

The Snohomish Health District is one organization that wanted to avoid having people wait in line. That's why they made all their flu shot appointments by phone only.