Pandemic Influenza: A Community Approach to Prevention

About the Program

Category: Risk and Emergency Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2010

The pandemic H1N1 virus threatened all citizens of Henrico County, Virginia and nations around the world in 2009. This pandemic proved to be of greatest risk to their most vulnerable citizens aged 6 months to 24 years. Henrico County, in conjunction with many community leaders worked to ensure access to every school-aged child within Henrico. At the peak of the outbreak, a shortage of the H1N1 vaccine endangered the efforts of the program. This shortage did not deter leaders involved. The stakeholders continued to collect the necessary paperwork and made plans for the clinics to be held once the needed vaccines were available. The overall goal of Henrico County in partnership with the community was to protect their citizens from the pandemic. This goal was achieved as 50% of the school-aged children were vaccinated, with 44% within the school-based clinics.