Federal Agencies and Governmental Partnerships in Public Health Emergency Management: Implications for Continued COVID-19 Preparedness and Response

The article of record may be found at https://www.hsaj.org/articles/17192The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has tested the global governmental and public agency response to pandemic emergencies with regard to a number of areas. This essay focuses on major agency involvement in the United States as well as relevant historical comparisons to highlight important aspects of our current challenges in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis of previous pandemics including both domestic and international response inform our suggested best practices for public agency involvement in ongoing pandemic operations in the United States and abroad.Sponsored the U. S. Department of Homeland Security's National Preparedness Directorate, FEMA. CHDS is part of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS)

Importance of Pharmacy Partnerships in Effective COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

The goal of vaccinating the majority of Americans against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a timely manner requires a robust federal vaccine distribution plan involving pharmacy partnerships. Previously, the 2009 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) H1N1 Vaccine Pharmacy Initiative resulted in approximately 10% of adults who received a vaccine during the 2009 pandemic reporting they were vaccinated at a pharmacy. This proportion has already largely increased for COVID-19 vaccinations, with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) using similar channels for vaccination as existing partnerships with national pharmacy and grocery retail chains for the COVID-19 Community-Based Testing Program. It continues to prove crucial that the Biden administration\u27s national COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan, including the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, focus on ensuring equitable vaccine distribution and access in medically underserved areas and to vulnerable populations, enabling maximum uptake of COVID-19 vaccines