Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-25wd4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T20:37:14.158Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

“Is that for here or to go?” Drive-Through Pediatric Vaccine Clinic as a Novel Approach during a Global Pandemic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2021

Sowmya Patil ,
Karalyn Kerby ,
Amy Ramick  and
Justin H. Criddle
Sowmya Patil*
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock, AR, USA
Karalyn Kerby
Affiliation:
Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock, AR, USA
Amy Ramick
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
Justin H. Criddle
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
*
Corresponding author: Sowmya Patil, Email: patilsowmyan@uams.edu.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

Routine childhood vaccination and well-child visits are essential for pediatric patients’ preventative and public healthcare services. The COVID-19 pandemic had an immediate and significant decline in well-child visits and vaccine administration. A one-of-a-kind ‘Drive-Through Vaccine Clinic’ was established to improve the vaccination rate and alleviate parental anxiety about being exposed to COVID-19 infection.

Methods:

Our initial focus was on children between 18 months – 4 years of age at the start of the pandemic, and then extended this to the back-to-school vaccines and the Influenza vaccines.

Results:

The Drive-Through Immunization Station provided 745 vaccines to 415 patients between April and September, 2020. The median wait time involved from patient arrival to completion of vaccine administration was 5 minutes at the Drive-Through location. Patient and parent feedback was positive. The addition of the Drive-Through Clinic helped to significantly increase the total number of vaccines administered compared to the previous year.

Conclusion:

In a global pandemic, innovative ideas to increase access to preventive healthcare should be a priority. In the future, this method of non-traditional vaccine administration, will allow for improved outreach efforts to underserved populations in our communities, and better disaster preparedness.

Keywords

COVID-19mass vaccine clinicpediatric vaccinationdrive-through clinicpandemic
Type
Concepts in Disaster Medicine
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 17 , 2023 , e71
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Stokley, S, Smith, PJ, Klevens, RM, Battaglia, MP. Vaccination status of children living in rural areas in the United States: are they protected? Am J Prev Med. 2001;20(4 Suppl):55-60. doi: 10.1016/s0749-3797(01)00280-x. PMID: 11331133 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Santoli, JM, Lindley, MC, DeSilva, MB, et al. Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine pediatric vaccine ordering and administration — United States, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69:591-593. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6919e2 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
CDC.gov. Information for Pediatric Healthcare Providers. Updated December 3, 2020. Accessed December 14, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/pediatric-hcp.html Google Scholar
Banks, L, Vanderjagt, A, Crandall, C. The view through the window: characterizing participants in a drive-through influenza vaccination clinic. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2014;8(3):243-246. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2014.40 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Banks, L, Crandall, C, Esquibel, L. Throughput times for adults and children during two drive-through influenza vaccination clinics. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2013;7(2):175-181. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2013.3 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carrico, RM, McKinney, WP, Watson, NA, Wiemken, T, Myers, J. Drive-thru influenza immunizations: fifteen years of experience. Journal of Emergency Management. 2012;10(3):228-232. doi: 10.5055/jem.2012.0101 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walker, TY, Elam-Evans, LD, Yankey, D, et al. National, regional, state, and selected local area vaccination coverage among adolescents aged 13–17 years — United States, 2017. MMWR. 2018;67:909-917. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6733a1external iconGoogle ScholarPubMed
National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit. Checklist of best practices for vaccination clinics held at satellite, temporary, or off-site locations; 2017. Accessed April 17, 2020. https://www.izsummitpartners.org/content/uploads/2017/02/NAIISVaccination-Clinic-Checklist_v.2.pdf Google Scholar
Le, N, Charney, RL, Gerard, J. Feasibility of a novel combination of influenza vaccinations and child passenger safety seat fittings in a drive-through clinic setting. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2017;11(6):647-651. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2017.3 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lehnert, JD, Moulia, DL, Murthy, NC, et al. Key elements for conducting vaccination exercises for pandemic influenza preparedness. Am J Public Health. 2018;108(S3):S194-S195. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2018.304473 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed