CDHD Still Offering Free H1N1 Vaccine

Flu Hotline to Shut Down

The Central District Health Department (CDHD) is still offering free H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine by appointment at the health district office, 707 N Armstrong Place., Boise. Effective Tuesday February 16th those interested in making appointments will be asked to call the regular Immunizations appointment line at 327-7450. The CDHD Flu Hotline (321-2222) will revert to a recording with information about the flu.

All persons over six months of age are eligible to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine and supply is very good. CDHD nurses are continuing to vaccinate school children, including going back to some elementary schools to administer second doses to children under the age of 10, who need two doses of the vaccine, separated by at least four weeks, to be fully immunized against the H1N1 flu.

Flu activity has dropped significantly in recent weeks. Along with fewer cases of flu, public interest in the vaccine has diminished. Since first offering the vaccine in October 2009 Central District Health has administered nearly 82,000 doses of H1N1 flu vaccine. Roughly 19% of the population in the CDHD’s four county area has received vaccine.

CDHD has pushed vaccine out to many doctors and pharmacies, but those facilities too are seeing fewer people interested in getting vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is still advising there may be another wave of the pandemic. If that occurs CDHD and the other health districts are ready to respond as they did with the wave of disease that swept across the state and nation last fall.

For more information please visit www.cdhd.idaho.gov.