228098 Using Resources in the Community to Effectively Distribute H1N1 Vaccine

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 : 1:30 PM - 1:50 PM

Elaine Braccia, RN , Public Health Nursing, Stamford Health Department, Stamford, CT
Anne T. Fountain, MPH , Director of Health and Social Services, Stamford Department of Health and Social Services, Stamford, CT
Lynn Galgano, RN , Stamford Health Department, Public Health Nursing, Stamford, CT
Olga M. Brown-Vanderpool, BSN, MPH, MA , Nursing Services, Stamford Department of Health and Social Services, Stamford, CT
Johnnie A. Lee, MD, MPH, FACP , Stamford Department of Health and Social Services, Stamford, CT
     
Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, participants will be able to (1) Identify the value of community-partnerships to respond to emergencies, (2) Explore different communication modalities to reach different groups in a population, (3) To explore lessons learned in conducting mass vaccination clinics.

Background

In October of 2009, the Stamford Department of Health and Social Services (SDHSS) experienced the second wave of the H1N1 Influenza Pandemic. As a federal initiative, the SDHSS began receiving H1N1 vaccine in limited quantities. By late November, the SDHSS opened the H1N1 clinic to the public. It was initially a challenge to vaccinate only the high risk and then the public, in this diverse city of 120,000, speaking 58 languages.

Methods

Stamford Public Health Nurses staffed all the H1N1 clinics. The SDHSS relied on established community relationships with the University of Connecticut to host H1N1 clinics, because the public schools were in session. Clear and concise communication with the medical community, media and public about H1N1 vaccine and clinics was vital to the project's success. SDHSS collaborated with the Board of Education, utilizing the multilingual emergency notification system to inform families about the H1N1. The local hospital and business community also participated in this H1N1 information blitz. The SDHSS relied on established relationships with local law enforcement and the City's operations department to assist in successfully executing each clinic.

Results

Due to the collaboration of many City departments and community organizations, the H1N1 influenza vaccination clinics were a success. SDHSS was able to initially conduct over two dozen small scale clinics with scheduled appointments for prioritized groups, followed by 9 mass vaccination clinics including clinics on the SDHSS mobile medical van to reach vulnerable populations. Within four months, the SDHSS distributed 4,880 vaccinations to residents of Stamford and other surrounding towns, including Westchester County and NYC..

Keywords: collaboration, communication, H1N1 clinic

Learning Areas:
Communication and informatics
Diversity and culture
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control
Public health or related nursing

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this session, participants will be able to (1) Identify the value of developing community-partnerships to respond to emergencies efficiently; (2) Explore different communication modalities to reach different groups in a population; (3) To explore lessons learned in conducting mass vaccination clinics.

Keywords: Immunizations, Community Collaboration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I coordinate Well Child Clinic, Travel Clinic and Communicable Diseases.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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