Publication

Does having a seasonal influenza program facilitate pandemic preparedness? An analysis of vaccine deployment during the 2009 pandemic

Authored by:

Porter, R. M., Goldin, S., Lafond, K. E., Hedman, L., Ungkuldee, M., Kurzum, J., ... & Moen, A.

Full Citation:

Porter, R. M., Goldin, S., Lafond, K. E., Hedman, L., Ungkuldee, M., Kurzum, J., ... & Moen, A. 2020. Does having a seasonal influenza program facilitate pandemic preparedness? An analysis of vaccine deployment during the 2009 pandemic. Vaccine. 38(5).

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Additional key concepts from this publication:

A strong national immunization program can be leveraged during critical health emergencies to aid in outbreak response.

Key Evidence: Seasonal influenza programs can be cornerstones to pandemic preparedness and response. Using the 2009 WHO Vaccine Deployment Initiative as a case study, eligible countries with a seasonal influenza vaccine program were more ready to receive and use donated vaccines than those without a program. These findings suggest that robust seasonal influenza vaccine programs allow countries to test crucial regulatory and delivery systems that enhance pandemic preparedness while also reducing the substantial burden of seasonal influenza.