Question

You are the coordinator of disease prevention for the health department of Grant County, which is geographically large and ethnically diverse and has urban and suburban population centers totaling 600,000. A recent outbreak of mumps and the shortage of mumps vaccine prompted your boss, the commissioner of health for Grant County, to ask you to update the county’s plan for allocating vaccines that might be in short supply. The commissioner’s memorandum to you directs that the plan must take a comprehensive, countywide approach. It references the importance of considering both the vaccines and antiviral medications for high-risk, infectious diseases. The memo uses the example of avian (bird) flu as one to consider in developing the plan. You are aware that bird flu affecting human beings has rapid onset and a high case fatality rate and tends to be more deadly for persons 20–40 years of age than other age groups.

You spend the next several hours in front of your PC preparing an outline of the plan. You include all major health services providers in the county. Of special concern to you is the need to preface and support your plan with a clearly identifiable value system (ethical basis) by which vaccines and antivirals should be allocated.

Questions (30 points, 10 points each)

1. Which HSOs in Grant County should be included in the plan? Why?
2. What value system do you recommend as the underlying philosophy(ies) to guide allocation of scarce vaccines?
3. Outline the steps to inform the HSOs and relevant government agencies about the plan and to involve them in the contingency planning for implementation. (Should law enforcement officials participate?)

Answer 1

1. Which HSOs in Grant County should be included in the plan? Why?

For any contingency planning, all HSOs must be included in Grant County. Because the communicable disease is at high risk and its outbreak will affect a large number of populations. In addition, young adults need to be more protected from the disease outbreak. HSOs County plan should meet the needs of the population and reduce the threat among the population.

What value system do you recommend as the underlying philosophy(ies) to guide allocation of scarce vaccines?

Vaccine(antiviral) should be allocated based on the priority. For the effective use of the vaccine, the population at more risk are to be served first for better results. In addition, the needed services should be provided to the population by the team members of health care workers, first respondents, rescue team, fire services, and police departments. The epidemic area should be provided with an adequate amount of water, food, proper sanitation, medication, in order to minimize the effect. Health care workers should give importance to vital services. Prioritize the services for better results. For e.g people at risk of dying should be cared first.

Outline the steps to inform the HSOs and relevant government agencies about the plan and to involve them in the contingency planning for implementation. (Should law enforcement officials participate?)

• Design a plan and get approval from the commissioner of health.
• Contact the County HSOs and federal agencies for contingency planning.
• Disaster planning should be made separately.
• Discuss with the stakeholders about the contingency plan and its process.
• Team members such as respondents, rescue team, fire service, health care workers should be cleared with the goals.
• The management team should be reported properly to high authority.
• Evaluation of the plan.