FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

CONTACT

Mark W. Salley
Communications Director
303-692-2013

Statewide Mass Vaccination Exercise to Occur Saturday, Nov. 17
Exercise Will Include Limited Free Vaccinations for Seasonal Influenza

DENVER - On Saturday, Nov. 17, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will be working with local public health departments and local public health nursing services statewide to test the state’s ability to quickly immunize large numbers of people at 28 designated Points of Dispensing or PODs.

In the event of a public health emergency, like pandemic influenza, there could be a need to distribute and dispense vaccine to a large portion of the state’s population - in a short amount of time. This exercise is designed to test the capabilities of the state and local public health partners to do just that.

For the exercise, people in participating communities will be able to go to the POD in their community to obtain a free vaccine for seasonal influenza. In the event of a real public health emergency, the vaccine would not be for seasonal influenza but vaccine appropriate for the virus that had been identified in the public health outbreak.

“This is a great opportunity for individuals to receive a free seasonal influenza vaccine, while at the same time helping public health officials to improve our readiness for a public health emergency,” said Chief State Medical Officer Ned Calonge. “I would ask everyone in a community with a ‘point of dispensing’ to consider setting aside time on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 17, to get vaccinated and help us with this exercise.”

As could occur in a real public health event, there may or may not be enough vaccine to immunize all the people who turn out at any of the participating 28 points of dispensing. Local public health officials will be testing their abilities to staff each POD with qualified staff to dispense shots and support staff to provide for orderly dispensing of the vaccines until the supply is depleted.

The exercise is being supported by the Emergency Preparedness and Response Division at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and funded by federal grant dollars from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Under the state’s emergency response plan, the state has been divided into nine geographic regions. Seven of those regions will open at least one point of dispensing on November 17th. Public health agencies in the other two regions will help supply staff to other nearby PODs.

For additional information about one of the 28 points of dispensing listed on the next page, please contact your local public health department or county nursing service.

Note: Contact your local public health agency to find out more information about POD locations, times of operation, vaccine availability, possible fees, and age requirements for participation.

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