NACCHO in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is developing resources to help local health departments prepare for vaccine prioritization of critical infrastructure personnel (CIP) in case of an influenza pandemic. These efforts will build on the DHS/HHS 2008 publication “Guidance on Allocating and Targeting Pandemic Influenza Vaccine.” This initiative aims to take the guidance one step further by standardizing procedures for developing and operationalizing CIP plans (e.g., identify, prioritize, vaccinate, and track CIP).

To better understand where local health departments are in developing and implementing CIP plans, NACCHO staff is conducting a landscape analysis to identify any health departments with existing vaccination prioritization programs. Local health department staff currently using CIP plans (even if they have never been tested or are incomplete), and able to share them, are asked to contact either Amanda Lubit or Chelsea Gridley-Smith by email.

The next phase of this project will involve phone interviews with health departments both with and without CIP plans in place. These interviews are scheduled to take place in either December or January and will cover various aspects of the design, development, and implementation of the interviewee’s CIP plan to identify gaps and best practices for CIP pandemic vaccination planning. NACCHO and CDC will use this information to inform the development of a template operational plan that local public health departments can adapt for their own preparedness plans and programs. Individuals interested in participating as an interviewee, please contact either Amanda Lubit or Chelsea Gridley-Smith by December 15, 2016.