THE GOOD NEWS is that Wellington- Dufferin-Guelph Public Health says it's now offering offering H1N1 flu vaccine to all 250,000 residents of the two counties.

Dr. Nicola Mercer, Medical Officer of Health, says expansion of the vaccinations was made possible by delivery last week of 22,000 more doses of H1N1 vaccine. "With this vaccine supply we are now able to provide H1N1 flu shots to all residents who want it."

Unfortunately, she didn't go on to explain how the health unit planned to make 22,000 doses supply a potential demand at least 10 times that great.

The health unit describes the "local roll-out" of the vaccine as "ahead of provincial plans," but the roll-out also seems to be in the absence of a credible means of avoiding long lineups at the public clinics by matching supply and demand.

In its press release announcing the expansion, the health unit said it "does not change the current promotion of flu shots to elementary school students or plans for secondary school clinics the week of November 26. Parents can have their shot when they bring their children to a clinic, and secondary school staff can get shots at planned school clinics."

Well, despite the announcement, signs at the Orangeville clinic this week suggested shots were still available only to high-priority groups such as young children and those with chronic conditions.

A check of the health unit's website Wednesday confirmed that clinics are planned next week at Dufferin's three high schools: Orangeville District Secondary on Monday, Centre Dufferin District High on Tuesday, and Westside Secondary on Wednesday (in all cases, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.). But elementary school kids and their parents apparently must go with everyone else to the public clinics, with none currently planned in Dufferin apart from the one at 276A Broadway in Orangeville.

What is this? Planned chaos?