11/02/2009
Attention parents of Blue Fish Pediatrics: We have received a small shipment of the injectable H1N1 flu vaccine!
Our Saturday, November 7th H1N1 flu vaccine clinic will have the following quantities of H1N1 flu vaccine available:
- 500 doses of the intranasal mist H1N1 flu vaccine
- 40 doses of the injectable H1N1 flu vaccine
The seasonal flu vaccine WILL NOT be available at this Saturday's H1N1 flu vaccine clinic. Appointments for the seasonal flu vaccine are now being taken by phone during clinic hours until supplies are exhausted.
Please remember that November 7th will be the first of several H1N1 flu vaccine clinics. The flu vaccine will be available ONLY to Blue Fish patients. Patients 2 years and older will be given the intranasal vaccine, unless they are considered high-risk patients (i.e. asthmatic). High risk patients will receive an injectable H1N1 flu vaccine. Patients 6 months to 2 years will receive an injectable H1N1 flu vaccine (children under 6 months of age are not old enough for the H1N1 flu vaccine). Children 9 years and younger are required to come back and get a second dose after 28 days (we will contact you via an email address which we will collect at the first H1N1 clinic). An intranasal vaccine cannot be given within 28 days of another intranasal vaccine.
The Saturday H1N1 flu vaccine clinic will begin at 8:00 AM and will end at 3:00 PM. In order to reduce the wait time, we will be implementing a ticketing system. There will be a set amount of tickets for every thirty minute period from 8:00 to 3:00 handed out on a first-come-first-serve basis. To illustrate: tickets will be given out starting at 8:00 AM. If there is a line at 8:00 AM, then the tickets for the 8:00-8:30 time period will be dispensed. As soon as those tickets run out, the 8:30-9:00 tickets will be given, followed by the 9:00-9:30 tickets.
Once you have a ticket, you can either stay and wait for your time slot or leave and return at that time. There will be 540 tickets distributed based on our current vaccine availability. Parents can also choose tickets for a preferred time slot if the tickets are available.
Please, do not call the office for a H1N1 flu vaccine appointment. The H1N1 flu vaccine will only be offered at H1N1 flu vaccine clinics held on selected Saturdays. No phone call or prior notification is necessary for this.
Payment
Although the vaccine itself is free, the cost of administering the vaccine falls on the patient and/or insurance companies. Please read the following carefully. Regrettably, the answer is complicated and beyond our control.
Cash paying patients: The cost is $15 for injection or intranasal
Medicaid and CHIP: The vaccine is covered by your insurance as long as we have the H1N1 flu vaccine in stock.
Commercial Insurance: We will not be claiming the administration fee to your insurance company, so you will only pay the cash price of $15.00. Please contact your insurance company if you have any further questions.