Chair: Melissa Marquis; Staff: Lisa Brown
The Medical Countermeasures Workgroup held their monthly meeting on Oct. 15. Garrett Simonsen was appointed as the new Vice Chair. The members discussed the 2014 Preparedness Summit Point of Dispensing Demonstration. Discussions revolved around logistics, staffing, registration, triage, and evaluation. Members received a document discussing the important components to consider for the Summit, and will form a workgroup to develop the demonstration. The members also discussed their involvement in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Phase 3 Medical Countermeasures Plus Readiness Initiative. The meeting for this initiative was canceled on Oct. 3 due to the government shutdown, but meetings resumed on Oct. 10. The workgroup is also reviewing drafts for Capabilities 3, 8, and 9. Additionally, the Medical Countermeasures Workgroup reviewed and commented on the content in the “Practical Implications of Posse Comitatus Act on Military Integration into Local Health Department Disaster Planning and Response” and the “Considerations for Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed Post-Exposure Prioritization Guidance.”