The CDC invites social workers to a dialogue on the H1N1 Vaccination Program: Aug 26-27 and Aug 31-Sept 1, 2009.
The CDC invites the public to discuss, deliberate, and offer input on its approach to mass H1N1 vaccination.
There are uncertainties which remain and will remain about how widespread and severe H1N1 influenza will be in the US next fall, and about how much public demand there will be at the time for vaccine. Also, because of the complexities and resources required to plan for mass vaccination well in advance of the epidemic, these uncertainties and complexities pose a difficult dilemma— whether to take a “full throttle” or a “go-slow” approach to mass vaccination, or something in-between?
Each option has pros and cons and a difficult choice must be made in advance. Scaling up or scaling down during the epidemic itself will be “too little too late” to avoid cases that might otherwise have been prevented, or “too much too late” to avoid a loss of credibility for overreacting and an unnecessary use of limited resources in a period of economic hardship.
On behalf of the CDC, The Keystone Center and WestEd are engaging the public throughout August about this policy dilemma.
