Sports physicals, vaccinations offered Thursday

All participants in high school activity programs must have an activity card, and all athletes in grades 7-12 must have a physical on file with the school district.

Sports physicals will be offered on Thursday, Aug. 11, from 3-8 p.m. at the Mountain Home High School gymnasium.

The sports physicals are offered free of charge.

Organized by the Elmore Medical Center's Center for Community Health, this year's sports physical clinic will feature several area physicians, including Dr. Scott Baldridge, Dr. Travis Criddle, Dr. Eve Connolly, Dr. Dan Crossley and Physicians Assistant BreeAnn Petrie.

A sports physical exam helps determine whether it's safe for a student to participate in a particular sport.

Students should bring their most recent immunization records and a current list of any medications they are taking with them.

In addition, the Central District Health Department, or CDHD, will be on hand to provide immunization record reviews and vaccinations as part of the high school sports physicals clinic. The vaccination effort will focus on the Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis) and Meningococcal vaccines that are now required for seventh grade students, and which are recommended for older students.

Vaccination status will not affect a student's ability to play sports, officials said.

"This is a great opportunity for parents to get their children vaccinated and learn about other recommended vaccines," said Yolanda Hurtado, a registered nurse with Mountain Home's central district health office.

For the district health staff to assess a student's immunization status, parents must send the immunizations records with the student to the sports physicals event, officials said. If parents want their student to receive the vaccinations they must fill out the Immunization Consent and Immunization Screening forms that are available on the immunization pages of the health district website at www.cdhd.idaho.gov.

The vaccine is free, but there is an administration fee for each dose of vaccine. Bring insurance information. CDHD will bill insurance, Medicaid or the family directly. However, no one will be denied vaccination due to inability to pay.

The Sports Physical Clinic is offered to assist those who lack a primary care physician or have not been able to get in to see their regular doctor or who may be uninsured. Students with a primary care physician are encouraged to see their regular doctor, if possible, for a more complete exam.

For those who cannot attend the sports physical clinic day, low-cost sports physicals are available at various clinics in Mountain Home.

In grades 7 and 8, physicals must be obtained each year. Otherwise, new physicals are required only for those in grades 9 and 11. Any new athletes in the district must have a new physical on file.

Athletes can use their own physician. The district also is setting up a special day for physicals at the high school, but the time and date have not been announced.

Physical forms can be obtained from private physicians, downloaded from the district's website (www.mtnhomesd.org), or obtained at the high school front office, where the full player packet also is available.