SCPHD Announces No-cost Adult Immunization Clinics

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (News Release) – Three-hundred adult immunizations will be provided at no cost to uninsured adults in Magic Valley’s eight-county region, according to South Central Public Health District.

Project funding comes through a $6,000 grant from the Seagraves Family Foundation and vaccine purchased by the Idaho Immunization Program.

“The Seagraves Family Foundation grant will cover the administration fee,”

said Cheryle Becker, author of the Seagraves grant. “The administration fee includes the time and materials required to provide the vaccine. Vaccines were purchased by the Idaho Immunization Program with funds from the Centers for Disease Control.”

The vaccines purchased by the IIP include:

• 70 doses of  Prevnar, a vaccine for Pneumonia
• 70 doses of Zostavax, a vaccine for Shingles
• 200 doses of Tdap, a vaccine for Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis

“The plan, ratified by the Board of Health, provides each county with a portion of the vaccine based on population,” District Health Director Rene LeBlanc said. The distribution plan states:

• Blaine County will receive 35 vaccines
• Camas County two vaccines
• Cassia County 35 vaccines
• Gooding County 23 vaccines
• Jerome County 35 vaccines
• Lincoln County eight vaccines
• Minidoka County 32 vaccines, and
• Twin Falls County will receive 129 vaccines

“For an uninsured adult, the cost of vaccines can be significant,” LeBlanc noted.

According to the health district's fee schedule, the cost for the Zostavax vaccine is $188 per dose, the Prevnar vaccine is $151, and the Tdap vaccine costs $34 per dose. The administrative fees range between $14 and $20. LeBlanc indicated that, “these are pass-through costs; the health district does not make any money on immunizations.”

“We saw this need and realized we had an opportunity  to combine local, state, and federal resources to provide immunizations at no-cost to those most in need,” Becker said. “By working with community partners, we are also able to move the clinics closer to the clients.”

Once all of the clinics are scheduled, the health district will post the schedules at phd5.idaho.gov. Nursing staff will provide immunizations on a first come, first-served basis.