Panhandle Health District

                                                                8500 N. Atlas Road         Hayden, Idaho  83835

www.phd1.idaho.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      Date:     November 3, 2009                     

Contact:                                                                            Released by: Jeanne Bock, Director                     

Cynthia Taggart

Public Information Officer

(208) 415-5108

(208) 818-7288 (cell)

Health District will Vaccinate Young Children

Hayden—The Panhandle Health District (PHD) will provide H1N1 vaccinations to preschool children starting at 6 months of age by appointment in clinics in each of the five northern counties on Saturday, Nov. 7.

              From supplies that just arrived, PHD also provided vaccine for emergency response workers and has delivered vaccine to pediatricians, obstetricians, gynecologists and family practice doctors. All the vaccine is designated for people who fit into the vaccination target groups set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

              “We want to make sure that the people the CDC has identified as needing it most get it as soon as we have it,” said Jeanne Bock, PHD director. “We’re able to get the vaccine to children from age five up in most of the schools, and we’re hoping to reach most of the younger children through child care centers.”

              For the 1,200 doses of vaccine available in the nasal flu mist and the injectable form, PHD will take appointments Thursday, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., on its toll-free appointment line, 1-877-415-5225. The vaccination clinics will be open:

• 10 a.m. to noon in Boundary, Benewah and Shoshone counties;
• 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Bonner County;
• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Kootenai County.

Callers will be given the clinic locations when they make their appointments. As more vaccine arrives, PHD will schedule more clinics. The next public vaccination clinic for people in any of the target groups will be Dec. 12 in each of the five northern counties. The target groups are:

• Pregnant women;
• People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months old;
• Anyone between the ages of 6 months through 24 years;
• People from age 25 through 64 with chronic health conditions such as asthma or diabetes;
• Healthcare and emergency response workers.

For updated information on H1N1 vaccination clinics in the five northern counties, visit www.phd1.idaho.gov or call PHD’s toll-free H1N1 hotline—1-866-528-3501.