After Action Reports: Lessons on Vaccine Distribution

Abstract

The responses of individual states to the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic are documented in their After Action Reports (AARs), written in summer 2010. In an attempt to understand how these responses could improve for future pandemics, this paper reviews the AARs of fourteen states to determine how vaccine distribution methods and communication issues impacted the success of the states’ responses to the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic. The results of this review reveal several trends to inform preparation for future pandemics. For instance, the best distribution method for times of low supply of vaccine and high demand is one based on county populations within a state, while an online ordering system for vaccine performs well in times of high supply and lower demand. Finally, this paper finds that the best preparedness plans are the ones for which components have been tested in some capacity prior to use.