H1N1 clinic coming next week

Carrie Stambaugh

Nov. 7, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- ASHLAND -- Ashland-Boyd County Health Department officials will have its first H1N1 vaccination clinic next week. The date and times of the clinic are not being made public as vaccine will only be available by appointment to individuals in the target populations as designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to officials.

These populations include:

--Pregnant women

--Caregivers of children under 6 months of age

--Those ages 6 months to 24 years

--Health care workers

--Those age 25 to 64 with chronic conditions that make them more susceptible to flu including diabetes, COPD, asthma, emphysema and legal guardian.

The health department will begin taking appointments for vaccines at 8 on Monday morning. The health department is closed Saturday and Sunday.

To make an appointment call (606) 329-9444. No appointments will be taken until Monday or at the regular clinic number.

Appointments will only be made for the amount of vaccine available at this time so no walk-ins will be permitted, said Health Department public information officer and FIVCO regional epidemiologist Kristy Bolen.

Bolen said the agency will only tell patients given an appointment when the clinic is taking place. She said the agency is trying to avoid large numbers of individuals showing up demanding a vaccine.

Individuals will be prescreened on the telephone to ensure they are in the target populations, Bolen said.

Patients given an appointment time should bring their insurance, Medicaid or Medicare card and a form of identification to the clinic.

There is no charge for the vaccination and no co-pays will be taken. Bolen said the Health Department is requesting patients bring their medical cards with them so the agency can bill for the administration fee.

"That is just to help cover the employee time cost, but if your insurance doesn't cover it, you won't be charged. There won't be a charge for anyone," she said.

All individuals under 18 will need to have a parent or legal guardian with them to receive the vaccine. Patients will be evaluated by a medical professional to determine what formulation of vaccine they will receive.

Registration forms have been posted on the health department Web site at www.abchealthdepartment.com. These forms can be downloaded and brought with the patient the day of the clinic.

Additional H1N1 vaccination clinics and seasonal flu are expected in the coming weeks and months as additional doses become available.

"We're not saying we have a vaccine shortage but we have a limited supply. We want to make sure that the people in that target group get the vaccine because it's very important to them," Bolen said.

She urged individuals to remain patient. "We realize we're going to have a lot of people that are going to want to come to this clinic," Bolen said, adding the Health Department has averaged more than a dozen calls a day requesting information about when the H1N1 and seasonal vaccines will be available.

Individuals still have plenty of time to protect themselves from both the H1N1 and seasonal flu, according to Bolen.

She said although fewer flu cases were reported this week she expects to see additional waves of widespread illness.

"I think we may have gotten through that initial wave but there are many, many more waves to come. People don't remember it's a very long flu season," she said. "We typically don't see seasonal flu end until January or February and it's just November."

Newstex ID: KRTB-0386-39529726