BACKGROUND:
Influenza vaccine is the linchpin of any plan to decrease influenza-related morbidity and mortality among our most vulnerable populations. The 2004-05 season's severe shortage highlighted the shortcomings and deficiencies in our vaccine supply and distribution systems that have not been adequately addressed since the past seasons of supply disruptions.

OBJECTIVE:
To quantify the experiences of all local public health agencies (LPHAs) in the state of Maryland, identify gaps in the vaccine distribution system, and characterize lessons learned from 4 consecutive influenza seasons.

METHOD:
Maryland Partnership for Prevention (MPP) surveyed and interviewed all Maryland health officials during each of the past 4 flu seasons regarding their experiences with acquiring, distributing, and reallocating influenza vaccine and the outcomes of those experiences.

RESULT:
Due to supply disruptions, LPHAs have delayed, reduced, or cancelled their influenza clinics. Results from the surveys show us the gaps in coverage of Maryland's most vulnerable high-priority populations, who rely on LPHAs for coverage.

CONCLUSION:
Vaccine shortages erode the credibility of LPHAs and leave many high-priority persons unvaccinated and vulnerable to influenza infection, hospitalization, or even death. Therefore, a system for tracking inventory and distribution of influenza vaccine within communities must be developed so that limited supplies can be efficiently identified, quantified, allocated and distributed to providers treating high-priority populations.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Participants will understand the impact that influenza vaccine supply disruptions have on local public health agencies and their high-priority constituents.