CDHD Adjusts H1N1 Appointment Schedule

The Central District Health Department (CDHD) is continuing to offer free H1N1 flu vaccine by appointment only at the health department office, 707 N Armstrong Place, Boise, but is scaling back the number of days appointments can be made. With public interest in the vaccine waning, appointments will only be set on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. There will be no flu clinic Monday January 4th. Appointments can be made by calling the CDHD Flu Hotline at 321-2222 during regular business hours.

A recent national poll shows only 22 percent of adults targeted to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine have received it so far. With vaccine widely available, public health officials say now is the time for people with chronic health conditions to get vaccinated.

The new schedule allows CDHD nurses to staff the flu clinics three days a week and go out to Boise and Meridian schools on Tuesdays and Thursdays, without too much disruption of regular clinical services at the health district. CDHD will resume school-based vaccinations January 5th in Boise & Meridian. The schedule is available on the health district website.

H1N1 flu vaccine is now available to all persons six months of age and above. People interested in getting vaccinated can save some time by downloading and filling out the Public H1N1 Flu Vaccine Consent form before arriving for their appointments. The form is available on the front page of the CDHD website (www.cdhd.idaho.gov).

In addition to the free vaccine available through the health district, thousands of doses of vaccine have been sent to doctor’s offices and pharmacies. Private providers can charge an administration fee of up to $19.07. Many insurance companies and Medicare cover the administration fee.

For now CDHD is suspending operations of its Point of Dispensing (POD) mass clinics. Because the flu can be unpredictable CDHD is retaining the facility at the former Comp USA store should the need for mass vaccinations arise, but no services are available there.

For additional information on the flu visit the Central District Health Department website www.cdhd.idaho.gov. or call the CDHD Flu Hotline 321-2222.