November 10, 2009

Weekend POD Could Be the Last for Awhile

On Saturday November 14th the Central District Health Department (CDHD) will operate a single Point of Dispensing (POD) for H1N1 (swine) flu vaccinations at the former Comp USA store at 1195 N Milwaukee Street, Boise. As the health district has observed waning public interest, this could be the last regularly scheduled weekend POD offering for Priority Groups. CDHD may reopen PODs once given clearance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to vaccinate everyone.

The POD will operate from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., unless the vaccine supply on hand is exhausted before 2:00 p.m. The POD is open to those considered at greatest risk of serious complications of influenza infection.

Priority groups include:

• Pregnant women
• People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age
• Healthcare and emergency medical services personnel
• Persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old
• People 25 through 64 years of age with chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems

There will be only one Ada County Point of Dispensing (POD) location:

The former Comp USA Store – 1195 N Milwaukee Street, Boise

Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., unless vaccine runs out first.

No vaccine will be administered at the former K-Mart POD site

CDHD will provide hourly updates of vaccine availability on its website Saturday (www.cdhd.idaho.gov). The Flu Hotline (321-2222) will also be staffed from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Saturday to answer questions from the public on flu-related topics, including vaccine availability.

To date CDHD has administered over 16,000 doses of H1N1 flu vaccine and has sent 11,300 doses to medical offices, obstetricians, Mountain Home Air Force Base and Boise State University.

CDHD remains focused on reaching Priority Groups and will assess public interest following the POD operations Saturday to help determine future strategies. Under consideration is an expansion of vaccine distribution to private providers and pharmacies. Vaccination teams are heading into the schools in Mountain Home and Kuna beginning this week. Decisions about going back to the Boise and Meridian school districts rely on vaccine availability.

Current information on the H1N1 flu is posted to the CDHD website daily at www.cdhd.idaho.gov and is provided through the CDHD Flu Hotline at 321-2222, which is staffed 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

On Saturday CDHD will post to its website (cdhd.idaho.gov) the number of doses given and the number available. The Flu Hotline will be staffed from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Saturday to answer questions from the public on all flu-related topics, including vaccine availability.

For more information on the flu please visit the CDHD website at www.cdhd.idaho.gov or call the CDHD Flu Hotline at 321-2222.