ASHLAND -  Family, friends and co–workers turned out near Ashland Thursday, saying goodbye to a man who appears to be the Northland's first person to die from the H1N1 virus.  At the same time, health officials remind people to be cautious about the swine flu... but, not to panic.

Janelle Elza wasn't planning on getting swine flu vaccines for herself and her daughters... until Thursday morning.

"We had a meeting with the doctor and he said we'd be crazy not to get it."

Janelle immunizes her kids against the virus as other say goodbye to Paul Schnabel, who likely died from the swine flu over the weekend.  People are having mixed reactions to what is likely the Northland's first H1N1 death.

"I'm worried," says one Ashland woman.  "Because I have a husband who's diabetic and he has not gotten a shot."

"I plan on getting a shot when it becomes available," says Todd Bucher of Delta.  "So, with proper precautions, I don't think it's anything to panic about."

"Seasonal flu takes 34,000 to 40,000 people annually," says Ashland County Public Health Supervisor, Terri Kramolis.  "People don't panic about it.  So, we don't want people to panic about this."

Kramolis says they were aggressive with immunizations from the beginning and they're happy with the results.

"We think we're at 80 to 90 percent saturation of the original group."

That's pregnant women, kids under four and caregivers of kids under six months.  Now, they're expanding to adults under 65 with underlying health conditions.

"That's what we're starting today," says Kramolis.

Schnabel was 58, a retired postal worker and a part–time EMT for the Ashland Fire Department.  Lab tests to confirm H1N1 are still pending.  His funeral Thursday at the family home was attended by hundreds, including Ashland Mayor, Ed Monroe.

"Practically everyone on of the off–duty firemen showed up last night at the prayer service and performed a memorial from the firefighters themselves," says Monroe.

A care and concern for the family which he says will remain.

"If there is something we can do, the city, the fire department, we'll be there for them."

If you'd like more information on the swine flu, call 211 in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.