Riverside County Health officials announced Wednesday they have begun inoculating people with the injectable H1N1 vaccine.

The county received 1,600 doses of the much-anticipated injectable vaccine this week and has ordered more of both H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines.

On Tuesday, the doses were distributed to the Palm Springs Family Health Care, Riverside Neighborhood Health Care and Perris Family Health Care centers, said Barbara Cole, the county's director of disease control. Health officials at the sites are screening those coming in for the injectable H1N1 vaccine.

The very limited amount of the H1N1 vaccine will be made available to those in high-risk groups on a first-come, first-served basis, Cole said.

Production delays have reduced the vaccine availability for the next few weeks, county officials said.

Delivery of the seasonal flu vaccine also has been delayed because many of the manufacturers split their focus between that vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine, said Lys Mendez, a Riverside County spokeswoman.

The first doses are designated for those in high-risk priority groups: People who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months, health care and emergency medical services personnel, those aged 6 months to 24 years, people who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for flu-related complications, and pregnant women.

By 3 p.m. Wednesday, the Palm Springs Family Health Center had administered about 200 of its roughly 600 H1N1 vaccine allotment.

It was the only vaccine given as the clinic was out of seasonal flu vaccine, said Gloria Robinson, assistant nurse manager with Riverside County.

“Probably 95 percent are here for the H1N1 anyway,” Robinson said.

The center's staff plans to keep vaccinating until supplies are exhausted, she said.

On Wednesday, 44-year-old Jamie Tschetter of Palm Springs pulled her 9-year-old daughter Hannah out of school so the two could be vaccinated together.

“We're headed to New York in a week so for me it was imperative to get this,” she said. “I have an impaired immune system, so I could not have the other (nasal) spray vaccine. I am also a concerned parent.”

Meanwhile, officials rolled out a program that will redirect H1N1 and seasonal flu questions to the county's 2-1-1 call center where basic questions can be answered. Those phone lines will be answered 24 hours a day.

As many as 400 callers a week with flu-related questions have jammed phone lines at the county health department.

Anyone seeking information on the vaccine or immunization clinics is asked to dial 2-1-1.