MADISON, Wis. -- Local health officials began holding H1N1 flu vaccination clinics for at five schools in Dane County Tuesday.

Public health leaders said it's both a "huge undertaking" and an expensive one.

During the next five weeks, health officials are planning to offer free immunizations to about 80,000 Dane County students at 160 schools in a massive voluntary vaccination effort.

On Tuesday, Dr. Thomas Schlenker, the head of Public Health Madison and Dane County, also said the staff needed to run all of the clinics is estimated to cost $500,000.

"Well, it's sort of weird because it's the first time (it's) happening in this school," said 7-year-old Chavez School student Sydney Smith of the effort.

Smith waited about half an hour to get her H1N1 flu shot, while other classmates quickly got their noses shot with a nasal version of the vaccine. Smith read books and ate a snack from her mother as she waited for supplies of the injectable vaccine to be replenished.

Since she had a seasonal flu shot in mist form less than a month ago, Smith had no choice but to get vaccinated with the injectable form of the vaccine.

"It's just a shot -- it's really just like your being poked by something. It doesn't hurt," Smith said.

At Chavez School, roughly 60 percent of the 630 students stepped up to get their flu shots Tuesday.

The immunization is voluntary and parents must sign consent forms, officials said.

Parent clinic volunteer Shelly Moore worked to calm and distract nervous students as they were getting injected with the vaccine.

Moore was one of volunteers helping shore up an effort that officials said will require daily about 50 public health staff, another 50 volunteer workers from other agencies and about 40 other hired staffers to complete the work.

Moore said the mass vaccinations say good things about the county and the state.

"I think it's wonderful. I mean, the fact that you have the choice. Every child doesn't have to do it, but it seems like quite a few of them are, and it's a great opportunity if you don't have insurance," Moore said.

Schlenker said the effort Tuesday was going well but is dependent on vaccine supplies.

"So far so good. This is the very first school, very first day -- and we have 50 percent return on this written (parental) consent form, so I think that's pretty good. And it's just going to increase as people become more familiar with the system," Schlenker said.

Some Chavez parents said they were worried about vaccine safety, but after talking with pediatricians they became convinced it was the right move for their children.

Public health officials said the hired hands needed to run all the school clinics will wind up costing about $500,000. They said federal H1N1 money will cover the cost.

Officials also said the schedule for school clinics might change, depending on week to week Center for Disease Control and Prevention H1N1 vaccine supplies.

On Tuesday, health officials estimated that roughly 1,000 students at all five schools, or about 50 percent of the student population, were vaccinated.

For a school vaccination schedule and more information, visit here.