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Under state law, only doctors and nurses can give flu shots. This move would suspend the law and allow a wide range of medical personal, including physician and specialist assistants, pharmacists, dentists, certain dental hygienists, midwives and emergency medical personnel, to administer vaccinations.

Some hope this will pave the way for mass flu clinics next month. For years, pharmacists like George Faris have wanted to do more.

"I feel that pharmacists are being underutilized," said Faris.

With the H1N1 virus spreading throughout New York, Faris will get his chance.

"This gives the pharmacists a chance to do something other than cutting and pouring and shows the public we’re able to do that," Faris said.

A state disaster emergency will allow pharmacists and EMTs to administer flu shots.

"We are definitely flexible. This is just something that we're not going to have any problems with at all. We deal with situations far worse," said LaShay Harris, Rural/Metro Ambulance public information officer.

Most upstate counties have emergency wide scale vaccination plans ready to go.

"What the governor did today is ensure that all hands are on deck," said Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks.

With the potential of a true health crisis, some say health care personnel will need all the help they can get.

"We're going to have the people that we need available to us to go out and inoculate a lot of people in a short amount time," said Brooks.

Administering the vaccine takes training, including a course on how to inject and handle a negative reaction in a patient.

"The pharmacists are highly educated and there's no reason why they can't do this," Faris said.

Faris will take the training course in November. In time, he hopes, to lend a hand.

"As long as we're in the situation we are now, this will take a lot of pressure off the other health professions," added Faris.

The Centers for Disease Control is behind its original projections for supply and distributions of the H1N1 flu vaccine. So far more than more than 14 million doses have been distributed.

New York ranks third in supply nationwide. Locally, the Monroe County Health Department has only received one shipment of the vaccine. Much of that has already been used.

Health officials hope to offer public clinics by mid-November, but a county spokesperson said the plans could change depending on supply.

H1N1 Vaccine Supply