Planning a City-Wide Community-Based Influenza Vaccination Campaign for Adults

Background: The Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) conducts an annual multi-site, community-based influenza vaccination program for adults.  Various community-based locations volunteer to host a Community Flu Clinic (CFC), including senior centers, supermarkets, churches, soup kitchens, shelters and health clinics.  CFCs are staffed by volunteer medical providers from the area, including local schools of nursing and nursing sororities.  The annual campaign is designed to serve as a safety net for adults who are un- or underinsured. However, all adults aged 19 years and older are eligible to be vaccinated at the CFCs (regardless of insurance status) in attempts to decrease morbidity and mortality rates associated with influenza.

Objectives: To evaluate the City of Philadelphia’s 2009 community-based influenza vaccination campaign planning efforts, to evaluate implementation of the 2009 Community Flu Campaign, and to measure how many doses were administered.

Methods: 20,000 doses of seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine were ordered for the 2009 campaign in April 2009.  Community Site coordinators, members of area schools of nursing, independent volunteer medical providers, and Immunization Program staff met in the summer of 2009 to discuss plans for the 2009 Community Flu Campaign.  Immunization program staff coordinated logistics and scheduling of the clinics throughout the summer and fall of 2009. 

Results:  283 clinics were operated at 216 community sites between October 13, 2009 and January 12, 2010.  60 different volunteer providers or provider groups administered at least 18,821 doses at the clinics, with an average of 66 doses administered per clinic. 

Conclusions: With some adjustments, the CFC model could be successfully applied to different communities around the country.