Embracing computer modeling to address pandemic influenza in the 21st century

Reacting to a pandemic influenza outbreak will require the mass distribution of vaccine, when available, which will require county health departments to set up and operate one or more mass vaccination clinics, also known as points of dispensing (PODs). Carefully planning these PODs before an event occurs is a difficult but important job. First, this article describes a tool--the Clinic Planning Model Generator computer program--designed to help public health agencies evaluate and make adjustments to their POD plans. The Clinic Planning Model Generator was built on data from a smallpox exercise and other biological agent POD exercises. Second, this article demonstrates the application of the Clinic Planning Model Generator through an example pandemic influenza scenario. This work is the result of an ongoing collaboration between Montgomery County, Maryland's Advanced Practice Center for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response, and the Institute for Systems Research at the University of Maryland.