Exercise prepares Offutt Airmen for flu season Published Oct. 13, 2011 By David R. Hopper 55th Wing Public Affairs OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- The campaign to vaccinate Team Offutt for this year's influenza season got an extra shot in the arm when the 55th Medical Group organized a point of dispensing event at the Offutt Community Activity Center Oct. 6. The point of dispensing, or POD, event vaccinated more than 1,500 active duty and civilian employees, and for most people the process took less than five minutes. "The POD is a great way to get a large percent of Offutt's military and civilian workforce immunized, which is important for readiness," said Capt. James Resch, 55 MDG physician. "We are using this exercise to test the wing's traumatic response capabilities and the medical group's ability to organize and dispense mass medical treatment." The POD exercise is an annual requirement that assesses the 55th Wing's disease containment plan and response to a biological terrorist attack. The exercise represents the medical group's real-world procedure for dispensing medical countermeasures. This is the same process used in a public health emergency or pandemic. "This is a great convenience," said Michael Krueger, a Team Offutt civilian employee. "There would be a loss of sick leave and work productivity from having to set an appointment, leave work, wait in line and the list goes on. Here it's done in five minutes." The POD accomplished the real-world requirement for active-duty vaccinations and allowed medics to screen people for other readiness requirements. "There were 143 individuals randomly selected for participation in an Anthrax scenario, which included a traumatic stress response briefing, drug triage and pharmacy staff filling 241 prescriptions," said James Jenkins, 55 MDG medical readiness manager. "Combining this with the influenza vaccine, we still had participants through in less than 10 minutes." "Public Health has an important role in this exercise," said Staff Sgt. Christie Schlattweiler, 55 MDG. "They actually put today's information in the computer system that accounts for all immunizations throughout the Air Force." " The 55 MDG successfully demonstrated the capability to mass vaccinate within a limited timeline." Jenkins said. "This was our third POD exercise and we've continually improved our processes. Although 1,519 vaccines were administered, we could have accommodated over 3,000 members without the need for resupply or additional manning." Immunizations are still available for active duty, dependants and retirees who missed the POD. They are available at the endoscopy clinic on the bottom floor of the Ehrling Bergquest Clinic Oct. 11 - 14 or 17 - 21, noon - 4 p.m. For more information about walk-in immunizations at the flu clinic, call 294-7310.