CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- While the spread of the swine flu is showing no signs of slowing down, the production and arrival of the H1N1 vaccine is.

On Friday, Mecklenburg County had fewer than one thousand doses of injections and nasal mist on hand.

The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta is expecting to send out 10 million fewer doses than expected this month and that means fewer doses of the vaccine in the Carolinas.

Mecklenburg County Health Director Dr. Wynn Mabry said, "We don't have enough to do a mass public vaccination where we would open it up to the general public."

Mabry said for now, medical personnel are first priority followed by high risk groups like pregnant women, infants, children and people with other medical conditions. As for when and how many more doses will head our way, Mabry said no one knows exactly.

"I would describe it more as a supply and demand challenge right now," Mabry said.

"What we're seeing are manufacturing delays. This is not unusual for influenza. It's a chicken and egg process and it doesn't move as quickly or as efficiently as we'd like, and it's not as predictable as we would like,” said CDC Chief Dr. Thomas Friednan.

Novant Health, which owns Presbyterian Hospitals, said they ordered 400,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine for patients and staff, but so far they've only received 3,400. That's less than one percent of the total amount ordered.

Carolinas Healthcare System, which runs Carolinas Medical Centers, has not released an update number of their vaccines.

With the unpredictability of the swine flu virus coupled with the threat of the regular flu season approaching this winter, the challenge is now waiting to see if the vaccine will make its way to everyone in time.

Of the thousand of doses on hand in Mecklenburg County, most of them are in the form of the nasal mist which contains live virus. Mabry said many people seem to prefer the flu shot. However, Mabry said the mist is a safe and more available alternative.

As for the seasonal flu, 46 states are reporting widespread activity, according to the CDC. That includes North Carolina, but not South Carolina. The agency said the number of people with the seasonal flu is much higher than what it is normally this time of year.