Residents in B.C.'s Interior were growing increasingly frustrated Wednesday over the slow rollout of the H1N1 vaccine in their region.

While the first doses of the swine flu vaccine rolled out in the Lower Mainland this week, people in the Interior have had to wait.

Special clinics are starting up Thursday in Creston, Vernon and 100 Mile House, but they're not planned until next week in Kamloops and Kelowna.

The vaccine started making its way to doctors' offices Wednesday, but only in small doses.

"We're being barraged by calls," said Sandy Margerison, a doctor's office employee. "I could only get 80 today, which is just a drop in the bucket compared to what we need."

Residents were frustrated.

"I guess we're always a little behind up here aren't we? That's the Okanagan," one woman said.

Dr. Paul Hasselback of the Interior Health Authority told CTV News Wednesday that there's only a limited amount of the vaccine, limited staff and a lot of communities who need it.

"No one is dragging their feet," he said.

The province, which is in the midst of what officials have deemed a "second wave" of the H1N1 pandemic, started rolling out H1N1 vaccines Monday.

Priority is being given to pregnant women, people under 65 with chronic health conditions, and people in remote communities, including First Nations and the homeless.

Vaccines will be available to the general public by mid-November.

Health care workers

Meanwhile, one B.C. couple had a concern of a different sort Wednesday.

Geoff and Michelle McKay are expecting twins. But due to complications, Michelle has been bed-ridden at BC Women's Hospital for the last few weeks.

Her husband said the stress has been compounded by the fact that some health-care workers on their floor have told them they aren't getting the H1N1 vaccine.

"It doesn't make much sense. They are supposed to be protecting the public. That's where you go when you are sick. I believe it should be mandatory to get the vaccine," Geoff McKay said.

But it's not mandatory.

The BC Centre for Disease Control has asked health care workers, particularly those who work with vulnerable groups, to consider who their patients are and get the shot.

But ultimately, it's their choice, officials said.

"I do feel it's important, but it's a person's choice to have it, it's not mandatory," said Margaret Dhillon of the BC Nurses Union.

In the last few weeks, the BC Children's Hospital has seen about 60 more children every day in the emergency room with flu-like symptoms.

Dr. Ran Goldman, chief of emergency, said most of the staff he knows won't be taking any chances.

"Everyone, I am sure, will be getting it," he said. "We are so exposed in the ER to H1N1 and other viruses."

With reports from CTV British Columbia's Kent Molgat and Leah Hendry