U.S. Government Releases Guidance on Allocating and Targeting Pandemic-Influenza Vaccine

September 1, 2008 – The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security have recently released a document to provide strong advice to support planning an effective and consistent pandemic response by U.S. States and communities.  This guidance, entitled, “Guidance on Allocating and Targeting Pandemic-Influenza Vaccine” also aims to ensure the allocation and use of vaccine will reduce the impact of a pandemic on the public health in the United States.

The guidance defines target groups by a common occupation, type of service, age group, or risk level, and clusters them into four, broad categories: homeland and national security; health care and community support; critical infrastructure; and the general population.  These four categories together cover the entire U.S. population.

Across these categories, the document advises, vaccine should be allocated and administered according to tiers in which all groups designated for vaccination within a tier have equal priority.  Groups within tiers should vary depending on the severity of a pandemic.

For more information:

• Guidance On Allocating And Targeting Pandemic Influenza Vaccine (Pandemicflu.gov)

Last revised: September 02, 2008