Panhandle Health District

                                                            8500 N. Atlas Road         Hayden, Idaho  83835

www.phd1.idaho.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      Date:     September 9, 2010                    

Contact:                                                                        Released by: Jeanne Bock, Director                     

Cynthia Taggart

Public Information Officer

(208) 415-5108

(208) 818-7288 (cell)

First Flu Vaccination Clinics are Next Week

Hayden – Fall marks the start of flu season and the Panhandle Health District (PHD) is prepared with influenza vaccine that includes protection against the H1N1 flu virus.

              Flu clinics for the public will start Thursday, Sept. 16, for adults only in the PHD offices in Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry, and Friday, Sept. 17, for all ages above 6 months at Super 1 Foods in Hayden.

              Flu shots for adults cost $29 and for children cost $10. A high-dose flu shot for a more robust immune response is available this year for people older than 64. PHD accepts Medicare, Medicaid and cash. It doesn’t bill medical insurance.

              The Sept. 16 flu shot clinic in Sandpoint will run 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. It’s for adults only. No appointments are necessary. Plenty of vaccine is available that day and will be provided on a first come, first served basis at the PHD office at 1020 Michigan.

              Appointments are necessary in Sandpoint for children’s flu vaccine. Call 263-5159.

              Adult flu shots will be available in the Bonners Ferry PHD office, 7402 Caribou, Thursday, Sept. 16, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. No appointments are necessary. Appointments are necessary for flu vaccinations for children. Call 267-5558.

              The Sept. 17 flu shot clinic at Super 1 in Hayden will run from 9 a.m. to noon for anyone older than 6 months old. Flu mist will be available for healthy children age 2 through 18. High-dose vaccine will be available for people older than 64. No appointments are necessary.

              National health experts recommend the flu vaccine for everyone older than 6 months old. The flu virus is contagious and spreads quickly, particularly in group settings such as school and workplaces.

              The H1N1 flu virus was new last year and a special vaccine was developed to fight it. This year, the H1N1 flu virus is one of three flu viruses targeted in the annual seasonal flu vaccine. People vaccinated last year against seasonal and/or H1N1 flu will need a new vaccination for this influenza season.

              Flu viruses can infect anyone, but they typically cause more complications for seniors, young children, pregnant women and people with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease.

              They’re also unpredictable. The United States averages 36,000 deaths per year from the seasonal flu, but flu deaths have ranged from 3,000 one year to 49,000 another. The number of flu cases any year is hard to know because flu isn’t a reportable disease.

              Panhandle Health District talks to schools, doctors and clinics throughout the season to get a sense of how widespread flu may be in the five northern counties. Flu symptoms vary in intensity, though, and many people never seek medical treatment.

              Flu is a respiratory illness. Symptoms include fever, dry cough, sore throat, body aches, malaise and chills. People with symptoms should stay home to recover and to prevent spreading the virus to others.

             The flu is contagious before symptoms start, so practicing good hygiene at all times can help prevent its spread. PHD recommends people:

• Get a flu vaccination.
• Wash hands often and particularly after sneezing and coughing.
• Avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth.
• Cover their coughs and sneezes or cough into their sleeve.
• Stay home when sick.

For more information on H1N1 or the seasonal flu, visit the PHD website at www.phd1.idaho.gov.