Flu-shot fever gripped the city yesterday and left Toronto Public Health scrambling to keep up.

The city's two lone swine flu vaccination clinics were opened for the first day of public inoculations, but the lineups were quickly capped and even high-risk individuals were turned away from getting what health professionals say could be a potentially lifesaving H1N1 vaccine.

Hundreds are expected again today at two clinics set to open at Metro Hall and the Scarborough Civic Centre.

Yesterday, long lines were already forming around 8 a.m. outside the North York and East York civic centres.

While people waiting outside East York were given vaccines ahead of schedule, starting at 9 a.m., the North York clinic didn't open until the noon scheduled start.

Just after 1 p.m., public health announced the North York lineup -- which stretched through the bottom of the Yonge St. building, wound through Mel Lastman Square and almost reached Yonge -- was capped and no more people were allowed to wait for vaccinations.

East York was shut down shortly after that.

Samantha Barrett-Wallis, 391/2 weeks pregnant and due on Tuesday, was one of those turned away just an hour after vaccinations started at the North York Civic Centre.

She was also hoping to get the vaccine for her son, Cameron, 3.

"I would prefer to get it but if I don't, I don't," she said walking away from the line. "What can I do?"

Dr. David McKeown, the city's medical officer of health, denied that public health wasn't prepared for the sheer volume of people who wanted the H1N1 flu shot.

"I think you have to understand that this is a new situation we're in, the scale of effort to try to immunize a large proportion of people in Toronto is unprecedented," McKeown told reporters. "We're going to have some lineups over the next few days."

But he ruled out having 24-hour clinics.

"It's easier said than done," McKeown said. "We want to do these clinics right. They have to be delivered by skilled health professionals and the vaccine supply we have is what we've geared our clinics to."

He again begged non-priority people to stay away from vaccination centres until next week.

At the North York Civic Centre, people in the at-risk groups encouraged to get the shot first were frustrated as they waited in line.

Sarah Aicand came from Markham with her two children, Henry, 3, and Samuel, 10 months, to get the shot. The Toronto clinic was closer than the two clinics in York Region.

"We're a high-risk group, so we thought it was important that we come," she said. "It's unfortunate that the hype has happened before the rollout."

York Region again closed lineups at its two immunization clinics yesterday because of the massive demand. Officials said the two clinics both have a daily maximum capacity of 1,200 patients.

Halton Regional Police closed Bronte Rd. to traffic in both directions between the North Service and Upper Middle Rds. in Oakville because of overcrowding at the H1N1 clinic, Sgt. Brian Carr said.

"There are thousands of people. The numbers are out of control and we are trying to get a handle on it," Carr said.

DON.PEAT@SUNMEDIA.CA