U.S Navy photo by Michelle L. Gordon

The Air Force 579th Medical Group prepared for a potential pandemic influenza outbreak during a medical exercise that culminated with a Central Point of Dispensing (CPOD)/Shot Exercise (SHOTEX) October 1 at the chapel on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB). During the CPOD/SHOTEX, nearly 1,000 active-duty service members, DOD civilians, retirees and dependents were vaccinated against the seasonal influenza.

During a medical exercise that culminated Oct. 1, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) prepared for a potential pandemic influenza outbreak.

JBABs Training and Readiness Division, and the Air Forces 579th Medical Group (579 MDG) led the exercise and the JBAB Installation Training Teams scenario development.

For the past two weeks, weve been conducting an exercise which prepares us to deal with a [potential] novel strain of pandemic flu, said Air Force 1st Lt. Zvi Gruenspecht, medical readiness officer for the 579 MDG.

When a new flu emerges somewhere in the world, it can pose a significant public health threat. In 2009, we saw that happen with H1N1 and theres obviously concern with Avian Influenza, H5N1, where you have flu suddenly working its way through the population worldwide. People get sick, no one has the immunity, and we need to treat or vaccinate huge numbers of people very quickly, Gruenspecht said.

One of the primary objectives of the exercise was testing local and regional communications between the public health emergency preparedness systems at JBAB, the Naval District Washington, 79th Medical Wing, and Air Force District of Washington.

It was the joint operations and communications between the various commands that was one of the two priorities of the exercise, said Tim Trammell, JBABs training and readiness officer.

Trammel continued, The other priorities were to prepare or update plans for a large public health concern, train new personnel in mass vaccination procedures and exercise the plans, execution of the plans for both the newer folks and those who have participated in a prior mass vaccination exercise.

He added, We accomplished all of this during our initial portion of the exercise, then completed it when we provided free flu shots and mist to a large number of people. Of course, the flu shots simulated other vaccinations that may be given for a pandemic situation.

Excerpt from:
Excercise tests Joint Base medical readiness