A three-day immunization training program for military health care leaders from across the globe was hosted by the Military Vaccine (MILVAX) Agency at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., earlier this month. Tara Reavey, the chief of clinical education for MILVAX, gave several of the lectures to a room crowded with MHS decision makers.
“Today we have active duty, National Guard and Reserve service members and civilians from across the U.S. and overseas who are involved in the immunization process: as leaders, as vaccinators or as planners,” said Reavey. “We are here today, to help our immunizers understand the DoD immunization programs and to plan for large scale immunization events.”
In her lecture on mass immunization management and planning, Reavey revealed some ways installations could streamline the vaccine delivery processes. Traditionally, DoD reaches out to service members and their families via the “pull method,” using information marketing to draw people to a well-controlled site in order to deliver vital vaccines. But things become more complicated during an emergency setting.
“As we [prepare to vaccinate against] H1N1 [influenza], there is that potential of having to quickly vaccinate all of our beneficiaries – service members, family members and retired veterans,” she said. “At that point, we have to realize that we need to tweak our process a little bit in order to meet the needs of children and families, pregnant women, and our retirees, who may be vaccinated at a location outside of a traditional hospital.”
According to Reavey, H1N1 vaccines are in production now and have gone into clinical trial. Early estimates indicate that the vaccine will be approved by the FDA and made available to the public in mid-October.
“We’re hoping that military installations begin administering the seasonal influenza [vaccine] as soon as they receive it so we can get everybody vaccinated early, because then they are going to have to prepare for their beneficiaries to come back and receive the H1N1 vaccine," said Reavey. "As of today it looks like the H1N1 vaccine may be a two-shot series. So it will be three influenza shots this fall season.”
Because of rising national concern about emerging infectious diseases, MILVAX is encouraging immunizers and health care leaders to consider faster ways to get critical vaccination and information out to service members and their families in an emergent setting. For more information on seasonal influenza, the new H1N1 vaccine or upcoming training events please visit the MILVAX Web site or call 877-GET-VACC.
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