UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - 500 doses of the H1N1 vaccine are in Oneida County, but only certain people will get them.

The doses are in the form of a nasal spray, and not the traditional needle. It's that reason why those who were on the priority are being bumped down.

Only healthcare workers will be getting these first 500 doses of the vaccine. Those workers were always at the top of the list, along with pregnant women.

However, because these vaccines are not the traditional needle shot, pregnant women will have to wait like everyone else, said Oneida County Health Department Quality Improvement Coordinator Catherine Bullwinkle

More and more doses of the H1N1 vaccine are expected every week, and when enough come in, the health department is urging everyone to get one when they can.

"The reason is that this is a novel influenza virus," Bullwinkle said. "Most people...their bodies are not going to have seen this before and they are not going to have antibodies to it. So they are likely to have a more serious reaction."

Bullwinkle believes that by January everyone should be eligible to receive an H1N1 vaccine.

Herkimer County health officials say they have 200 doses of the nasal spray shot H1N1 vaccine. They too, like oneida county are expected to get more vaccines in the coming weeks.

Herkimer County health officials say they have 200 doses of the nasal spray shot H1N1 vaccine. They expect to get more vaccines in the coming weeks.