Chester County Medicine Winter 2021 - 14

www.CHESTERCMS.org

Chester County Health
Department Plans For
Providing COVID-19 Vaccine
to the Community
BY SARAH KOELLER, PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PLANNER
DALE WEISER, BSN, RN, IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM

T

he Chester County Health Department has spent many
years working towards response readiness for a potential
public health emergency. There is abundant knowledge
and experience throughout the Department and its partner
network, and these groups are working tirelessly together to ensure
the COVID-19 vaccination initiative is achieved efficiently and
equitably.
Since this past summer, several teams within the Department
have been planning for COVID-19 vaccination. These include
the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Program,
Immunization Program, and Health Planning and Promotion
Program. Program representatives consistently communicate
with healthcare providers and medical countermeasures program
partners in Chester and Delaware Counties to provide information
and updates regarding vaccine planning and operations.
Additionally, a COVID-19 Vaccination Advisory Group was
formed and includes representatives from many critical industries
and populations. Together, these planning groups evaluate Federal
and State guidance, develop communications, create plans, and
work to operationalize the vaccine initiative.
One of the foundations for the COVID-19 Vaccine Initiative
is the collaboration between the Public Health Emergency
Preparedness Program and Immunizations Program to utilize
a Point of Dispensing (POD) model. PODs are designated
locations within the community at which the public can receive
medical countermeasures. PODs are most commonly used for
mass vaccination. The Health Department has applied this model
to conduct annual flu vaccine clinics for many years. Many local
school districts and businesses participate in this program.
The Health Department used these previous opportunities to
increase throughput and streamline our POD processes. In some
cases we have exercised the entire POD system. The goal was to
make the provision of injectable Medical Counter Measures a
plug-in module to a POD. We have also increased our Cold Chain
capabilities and perfected our ability to pack out and transport

14 CHESTER COUNT Y Medicine | WINTER 2021

vaccine to temporary clinics while maintaining cold chain
requirements. These lessons prepared us to develop an efficient
POD process for COVID-19-19 vaccinations.
This fall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health provided
the Health Department guidance and funds to enhance our Flu
Vaccination Clinics. However, this year, the goals were two-fold.
The immediate goal was to avoid simultaneous pandemics of Flu
and COVID-19-19 (aka the " Twindemic " ). Unfortunately, Flu
and COVID-19 exhibit very similar symptoms, which makes
accurate diagnosis more difficult. In Spring 2020, concomitant
infections were seen, while COVID-19 testing resources were
insufficient. Some health care providers tested first for Flu and
did not test for COVID-19 if Flu test was positive. To avoid
this, current guidance is to test for both Flu and COVID-19
when symptoms are present. These measures will also prevent Flu
hospitalization, ensuring ICU beds are available for individuals
with COVID-19.
The secondary goal was to exercise our PODs to plan and
prepare for the COVID-19 vaccine. For us, this was a natural
expansion of our Flu Clinics. The Immunization team proceeded
to plan Community Flu Clinics as usual but with COVID-19
precautions in place. The PHEP team created an updated
POD model with changes to account for COVID-19. New
this year were features such as pre-registrations and scheduled
appointments, masks, face shields, and social distancing measures.
The PHEP team managed site parking lots, COVID-19 screening,
and line control to ensure a safe number of people inside buildings
at all time. Although each site presented its own challenges, overall
this vaccination effort was a great success
The State and the CDC are also working to enroll as many
vaccine providers as possible, so as supply increases, so does
the distribution network. CDC has signed contracts with
CVS and Walgreens to vaccinate residents in Long Term Care
Facilities. More Pharmacy retailers have also signed on to provide
Chester County Medicine Winter 2021

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