Panhandle Health District

                                                               8500 N. Atlas Road         Hayden, Idaho  83835

www.phd1.idaho.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      Date:     January 15, 2010                       

Contact:                                                                             Released by: Jeanne Bock, Director                     

Cynthia Taggart

Public Information Officer

(208) 415-5108

(208) 818-7288 (cell)

Free Vaccinations for H1N1 Flu Protection

Hayden—Panhandle Health District (PHD) will provide free H1N1 vaccinations on a walk-in basis every Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. through January and February at its office in Hayden, 8500 N. Atlas Rd.

              Winter is flu season in northern Idaho and H1N1 may replace or even join the usual seasonal flu viruses this year. People who have only a seasonal flu vaccination will have no protection this year against the H1N1 influenza virus.

              Since H1N1 emerged last spring, it has infected about 47 million people in the United States and hospitalized about 213,000. It has contributed to nearly 10,000 deaths.

              H1N1 has caused more deaths among adults with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma and diabetes, than in any other group. And even though H1N1 infects people older than 65 the least, people in that age group have the highest rate of complications when they do catch the virus.

              H1N1 has hit the under-25 age group the hardest, which is particularly dangerous for children younger than 6 months old because they can’t have the vaccination. Anyone around children younger than 6 months old should have the vaccination to prevent spreading the virus to them.

              The H1N1 vaccination is free through PHD this season. No appointments are necessary at the Friday clinics. Signed consent forms are necessary for the vaccination and are available on the PHD website—www.phd1.idaho.gov—and at the clinic. For information, call 415-5108.