'Free' H1N1 vaccines not free, but are more available

Local pharmacies have begun offering vaccines against the H1N1 flu virus, but customers are finding out there's no such thing as a free vaccine.

Pharmacies are generally charging between $12 and $22 for the vaccine, and offer it immediately.

Public health departments still offer the vaccine for free, but you'll generally have to make an appointment and wait until next month for it.

The federal government paid for the vaccine and related supplies such as syringes and needle containers, but private providers are allowed to charge an "administrative" fee, as long as it doesn't exceed the Medicare reimbursement for flu vaccine administration in Illinois, which is $22.23 in suburban Chicago.

Most insurers will cover the cost, so bring your insurance card, but be prepared to pay for the vaccine on the spot.

Some retailers in the suburbs, such as CVS and Dominick's Finer Foods, began to offer the vaccine this week, and others, including Jewel-Osco, Costco and Kmart, hope to do so by the end of the week.

Specifically, the vaccine is available for $18 to those 2 and older at Walgreens Take Care Clinics in Arlington Heights, Crystal Lake, Elk Grove Village, Lake Zurich, Morton Grove and Mount Prospect.

It's also available to those 9 and up at Walgreens stores in Elgin, Hanover Park, Lake in the Hills, McHenry and Woodstock.

Vaccines also became available for $15 this week at Centegra Immediate Care Centers from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. The care centers are at 360 Station Drive in Crystal Lake and 10350 Haligus Road in Huntley.

Providers advise people call first to make sure vaccines are available and to get an appointment, if possible.

A list of vaccine providers can be found on the Illinois Department of Public Health web site at http://app.idph.state.il.us/h1n1_flu.

Statewide, officials have shipped 3.1 million doses, up significantly from 2.6 million a week previous.

Last week, Cook County launched a program to offer the vaccine at three South suburban malls with primarily African-American communities that have a higher rate of infections and lower rate of immunization, spokesman Sean McDermott said. No such clinics are planned for northwest suburban Cook.

Meanwhile, some public vaccination clinics have been suspended during the holidays.

Cook County, for instance, will resume school vaccinations Jan. 7 in Prospect Heights and Hanover Park, followed tentatively in Barrington, Inverness, and South Barrington on Jan. 11; Elk Grove, Wheeling, Roselle, St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights, and Niles Jan. 12; and at Barrington High School, Rolling Meadows, Fox River Country Day School in Elgin, and St. Colette School in Rolling Meadows Jan. 20.