Minnesota mass vaccination exercises: Serving communities, exercising plans, and building partnerships

While policies and laws often contribute to improved population health and increased health equity, they do not always lead to a collaborative approach between and within public health departments and partners. In Minnesota, new school immunization requirements and federal 317 funds allowed Community Health Boards and local/tribal health departments to collaborate, exercise their mass vaccination plans, and provide vaccines free of cost to schoolchildren. Most seventh graders in Minnesota required additional vaccinations before the beginning of the 2014 academic year. Collaboration between 52 local agencies and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) facilitated full-scale exercises of mass vaccination plans within local communities, while providing the needed vaccinations in schools and other settings. This presentation will focus on the mass vaccination exercise impacts, best practices, and lessons learned from MDH and local/tribal health departments, as well as the critical role of partnerships in increasing mass vaccination capacity and improving population health. Internal collaboration between department immunization and emergency preparedness staff at the state and local levels, as well as external collaboration with other health departments, healthcare providers, and schools, were critical to the success of the exercises overall. These partnerships were essential in pre-planning, assessment, consistent communication, public awareness, provision of vaccines and extra funding, and exercise logistics. In summary, the mass vaccination exercises across Minnesota were a success, and the collaboration at local and state levels was a best practice that strengthened partnerships, developed capacity, and contributed to increased adolescent immunization rates and overall public health preparedness.