St. Elizabeth Medical Center conducted a Point of Dispensing (POD) Mass Vaccination Clinic Thursday, October 4 to prepare for a potential disaster such as pandemic flu. The Medical Center is required by the New York State Department of Health to perform trainings on various emergency topics. Simultaneously, the staff used this clinic as an opportunity to vaccinate employees, volunteers, medical staff, area first responders, police and fire departments with the seasonal flu vaccine. Over 560 people were vaccinated during drill. St. Elizabeth Medical Center has developed a Pandemic Influenza Plan using current information published by the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New York State Department of Health. The plan outlines methods of responding to various levels of threat posed by pandemic influenza, with an approach to stepping up prevention and control activities as the threat increases. A pandemic outbreak involves a disease occurrence across the globe caused by a new virus. Because the virus is new, few or no people would be immune. Key issues include infection control, occupational health, standards of care, and scope of practice. |
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| Photo identification: St. Elizabeth College of Nursing student, Andrea Brennan, gives an injection to Medical Center employee, Carol Perry. |