Pandemic Influenza Preparedness: Monitoring Vaccine Doses Administered Using Cdc's CRA System

Background:
Tracking administration of pre-pandemic and pandemic influenza vaccines will be an important component of monitoring vaccine utilization in priority groups during the early stages of a pandemic when vaccine is expected to be scarce.

Objectives:
The 2008 Countermeasure and Response Administration System (CRA) Influenza Vaccine Doses Administered Exercise (DAX 2008) builds on the 2007 CRA pilot test. DAX 2008 involves tracking seasonal influenza vaccines doses administered in large-scale clinics as a proxy for vaccine administration during an influenza pandemic. For DAX 2008, the scope has been increased to include more clinics, an extended reporting period and reporting by general population priority groups.

Methods:
The 62 CDC public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) grantees — 50 states, 8 U.S. Territories and Island Jurisdictions and four major metropolitan areas (New York City, District of Columbia, Los Angeles County and Chicago) — will report vaccine doses administered via CRA using one of three options: (1) data exchange with an immunization information system or other system, (2) direct web-entry of aggregate data (3) direct web-entry of individual patient-level data, which CRA automatically aggregates the counts. To be considered fully successful, Project Areas must transmit data on general population priority groups on a weekly basis from at least eight clinics, of which at least one is from a CRI (City's Readiness Initiative) area, over four consecutive weeks October 1 – December 31, 2008.

Results:
To date over 40 Project Areas have reported data from their influenza clinics to CRA. Final results including who meets ‘fully successful' criteria will be available January 2009.

Conclusions:
Upon completion of DAX 2008, Project Areas and CDC will have gained knowledge and experience in transmitting larger volumes of vaccine doses administered data over an extended period of time and including information on priority groups for receipt of vaccine in the general population.