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Base exercise delivers flu vaccine to Airmen

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany --  Spangdahlem conducted a Disease Containment Plan exercise using a point of distribution to administer the influenza vaccine to as many Airmen as possible in a single day, Oct. 21, 2015.

The DCP exercise was held to evaluate the wing's capability to service the base population in the event of a disease threat or outbreak as efficiently as possible.

"All agencies across the base have a role," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Patrick Ditullio, 52nd Medical Support Squadron pharmacy flight commander. "It evaluates the base's ability to respond to a public health emergency and contain it the best we can, whether that be a virus or a terrorist using weaponized small pox."

The process of the POD takes only a few minutes with service members being checked in and moving down the line to get administered their vaccine.

"The reaction to the POD has been very positive," Ditullio said. "They think it's going to be this long drawn out thing to receive their vaccine, people are generally spending at most five minutes in here."

The Influenza vaccine is administered every year with the flu mist or an injectable shot.

"The influenza vaccine is important because every year the strain changes, it mutates," said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jaryl Burjoss, 52nd Medical Operations Squadron allergy immunization technician. "Every season we get a new vaccine in order to protect the base population."

Burjoss added that the exercise helps her team greatly because they are a two-person shop treating more than 5,000 active duty members and their dependents. Being able to take one day and vaccinate the active duty population and community ensures base members remain healthy. 

Service members and their families can still receive the influenza vaccine at the 52nd Medical Group if they missed the exercise, stated Ditullio.