The first phase of voluntary H1N1 immunizations in city schools got underway Wednesday morning.

According to the Department of Education, 125 elementary schools across the city with enrollment of less than 400 students began giving vaccines to children during regular school hours.

Parents were given the vaccination forms last week, but officials say response has been low, with only 30 percent of the forms being returned.

Still, city officials and many parents say the free vaccine will be a big help towards preventing the spread of the flu.

"We really encourage people to have their children vaccinated and if they are in a high-risk group, to get vaccinated themselves,” said Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs. “This is a safe vaccine; it's free.”

“Especially the community is really low-income people and they need it, so that's something that's important for the kids here in this neighborhood,” said one public school parent.

At PS 157 in Brooklyn, students got their H1N1 shot before a slew of dignitaries, including health commissioner Thomas Farley and schools chancellor Joel Klein.

"It tingled a little. When the needle went in, it tingled," said one PS 157 student.

The second round of vaccinations at mid-size elementary schools begins next week, followed by a third round at large schools on November 9th.

Middle and high school students will be vaccinated on weekends in November and December.

Health officials are saying there will soon be enough doses of the vaccine to go around.

Since children are particularly susceptible to the H1N1 virus, the city says the school vaccination program is a critical piece of the overall prevention strategy. The inoculation is available in schools as both an injection and nasal spray, and school nurses decide which version is best for each child, based on the information given by parents.

"If they are in good health, they will be given the nasal sprays, if they have asthma, they will be given the injections," said PS 157 nurse Judy Brathwaite.

Meanwhile, federal officials say the gap between supply and demand for the inoculation is narrowing.

Leaders say the production of the vaccine took longer than anticipated, but doctors and scientists are working hard to boost supplies.

"We are saddened and unhappy about certainly the level of illness and deaths caused by the H1N1 flu and as the secretary says share the frustration of Americans who are eager to be vaccinated because we know we have a vaccine that's on target," said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

"Eventually, there will be enough vaccine for all who want to be vaccinated to get vaccinated," said CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden. "We wish we had more vaccine available now, we wish it had been available weeks or even months earlier but we are beginning to get to a significant increase in the availability."

The government is looking to produce some 150 million doses of the vaccine.

To find out when specific schools will be offering the vaccine, visit nyc.gov/flu.