Speaking of HEALTH

With the H1N1 vaccine now widely available in Rhode Island for everyone, including healthy adults and senior citizens, many of you may be wondering how much this shot in the arm or squirt up the nose is likely to cost you. The H1N1 vaccine itself is free, since it was purchased by the federal government. However, depending on where you get the vaccine and the type of insurance you have, there may be a small charge for the administration of the vaccine.

You will not be charged an administration fee for the H1N1 vaccine at this Saturday’s free public clinic in East Greenwich. This is the last scheduled free public clinic hosted by Rhode Island cities and towns.  School-aged children had the opportunity to receive first and second doses of the H1N1 vaccine for free during two rounds of school-based vaccination clinics. The second round of these clinics ended on February 5, 2010, where more than 34,000 school-aged children where vaccinated.

Many community-based organizations and employers are now holding public vaccination clinics. The H1N1 vaccine may be available for free at some of these clinics. Check the Flu Shot Finder to find public vaccination clinics near you.  If you enter your zip code and click on a clinic listing, you’ll be able to view cost information, I.D. or insurance requirements, and other clinic information.

At private clinics, like those held at pharmacies or doctors’ offices, there may be a small fee for the administration of the vaccine.  Most insurance plans will cover this fee, but it’s always a good idea to double check with your insurance company if you’re unsure. If you don’t have insurance, there’s a chance that you’ll have to pay the administrative fee out-of-pocket.

It’s important to note that if you get the H1N1 vaccine during a regular office visit with your doctor, you’ll still have to pay whatever you normally pay as a co-pay, in addition to a possible administration fee for the vaccine.  If you are going to your doctor’s office for a “vaccination-only” visit, you may not need to pay a co-pay.

We hope that you’ll take advantage of one of the free public vaccination clinics in Rhode Island. However, the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the costs of getting seriously ill from the flu. Even if you have to pay a small administration fee to receive the vaccine, it pays off in the long run to protect your health and the health of those around you by getting vaccinated.

We encourage Rhode Islanders to use the comments section of this blog to engage with us and with each other. Please note that we review all comments before they are posted, so your comment may not appear right away on this site. While we cannot respond to every comment or question directly, they help us to understand your questions and concerns and plan for future posts.

While we’re only two months into the New Year, some things have changed since 2009: One: We have a new Super Bowl champion. Another: The H1N1 flu vaccine is now available to the general public!

Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) was initially prioritizing vaccination by target group and sending people to specific locations to receive vaccine. This was done because we had a limited amount of vaccine not just in our state, but throughout the country. Now, with more than 600,000 doses of vaccine in Rhode Island, there is enough available to offer it to anyone who would like to protect themselves from H1N1 flu. But with so much vaccine in Rhode Island, how do you know where you can go to get it?

Children (age 6 months through 5 years, K-12)

School-based vaccination clinics have concluded, but that doesn’t mean that your child is out of luck if he or she missed them. All children, school-aged or younger, can get vaccinated at their pediatricians’ or family practice providers’ offices.

Young Adults (age 19 through 24)

If you attend college,  you may get vaccinated at clinics held at your university or college. Check with your college’s Health Services Office for more information. All young adults may also attend free public clinics or clinics hosted by retail pharmacies.

Adults and Seniors (age 25 and up)

Right now, anyone age 18 or older can get vaccinated at free public clinics that are running until February 27^th. Adults may also receive the vaccine at their healthcare providers’ offices or other clinics hosted by retail pharmacies. Check the Flu Shot Finder on HEALTH’s website for a full listing of nearby public clinics.

We encourage Rhode Islanders to use the comments section of this blog to engage with us and with each other. Please note that we review all comments before they are posted, so your comment may not appear right away on this site. While we cannot respond to every comment or question directly, they help us to understand your questions and concerns and plan for future posts.

Since mid-January, almost 17,000 Rhode Islanders have been vaccinated at free public H1N1 vaccination clinics hosted by cities and towns held across the state. More free clinics are scheduled throughout this month. For a complete listing of free public vaccination clinics, visit HEALTH’s website. In addition to these free public clinics hosted by municipalities, H1N1 vaccine is also available at physician offices and at other clinics hosted by mass immunizers. However, there may be a charge for administration at other clinics.

Anyone 18 or older can be vaccinated at the free clinics and no I.D. or insurance information is required. Everyone who gets vaccinated must complete a brief consent form. To save time in line, forms may be printed from HEALTH’s website and completed prior to arriving at the clinic. The consent form is available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Below are some other tips to keep in mind if you plan on attending a free clinic:

1. There is plenty of vaccine available at these clinics, so there is no need to worry that the supply will run out before you get there.

2. You do not need to be a resident of the city or town where the clinic is being held.

3. Clinics are being held on weekdays and weekends, both during the day and in the evening, so you should be able find one that fits your schedule.

4. The first hour of every clinic is the busiest and there are often long lines so you may want to arrive about one hour later than the posted opening time.

5. It is helpful to the vaccinators if you wear a short-sleeved shirt so they can reach your upper arm to administer the shot.

6. The vaccine is available in both shot and nasal spray form at the free clinics. The nasal line is almost always shorter, so if you are under 50 and perfectly healthy you should get the nasal instead of the injectable.  Besides, for those eligible for the nasal vaccine, it provides you the most effective coverage.

7. Be an advocate for H1N1 vaccination by encouraging at least two people you know to come with you and get vaccinated as well!

We encourage Rhode Islanders to use the comments section of this blog to engage with us and with each other. Please note that we review all comments before they are posted, so your comment may not appear right away on this site. While we cannot respond to every comment or question directly, they help us to understand your questions and concerns and plan for future posts.