A partnership to rapidly deploy mobile flu vaccine clinics at South Dakota dairy farms lays the groundwork for future H5N1 response efforts.
H5N1, also known as avian influenza A(H5N1) or bird flu, is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows with several recent human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
To pave the way for future H5N1 response efforts, the South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH) partnered with Primary.Health to rapidly deploy mobile flu vaccine clinics at dairy farms. This collaboration ensures easy access to flu vaccines for dairy workers—especially Spanish-speaking employees—while leveraging a real-time tracking system to strengthen trust and enhance public health preparedness.
Challenge
The SD DOH needed to establish a stronger relationship with the state’s dairy farms to enhance response capabilities in the event of an H5N1 outbreak.
- Objective: Quickly deploy testing or flu vaccine resources, focusing on the populations most likely to be exposed to the H5N1 virus (dairy workers).
- Key Requirement: Ensure easy access to vaccination resources and track vaccine distribution accurately, particularly for Spanish-speaking employees.
Primary.Health Solution
- Initiative: SD DOH launched a standard flu vaccine clinic at dairy farms to begin fostering trust and establish an ongoing connection with dairy employees.
- On-Site Clinics: Flu vaccine clinics were organized at dairy farm locations, providing convenient access for employees.
- Target Audience: Focused on reaching dairy farm employees, including Spanish-speaking workers, to ensure inclusion and comprehensive coverage.
- Role of Primary.Health:
- Request: SD DOH sought a solution to record vaccines administered during these mobile clinics across 137 dairies in the state.
- Custom Solution: Primary.Health developed an on-demand, mobile-friendly vaccination tracking group to handle:
- Registration of dairy employees
- Consent and eligibility language (with Spanish translations)
- Screening questions and eligibility checks
- Vaccine administration
- Data collection across multiple locations
- Turnaround Time: In less than 24 hours from the request, Primary.Health integrated the necessary components to track vaccine administration in real-time.
- Training: Staff were trained to use the platform ahead of their first clinic, which occurred two weeks from the initial request.
Outcome
- Successful First Day:
- Providers at the clinics were able to easily register dairy employees and administer flu vaccines.
- The vaccination process was seamless, thanks to the quick implementation of the on-demand Primary.Health group.
- Employees were offered vaccines on-site, ensuring widespread access and timely coverage.
- Strengthened Trust:
- The clinic created a foundation of trust between SD DOH staff and dairy farm workers.
- Positive interactions helped foster long-term collaboration and a sense of support, paving the way for future H5N1 response efforts.
- Wider Impact:
- The initiative not only helped with flu vaccine administration but also positioned SD DOH to respond effectively should an outbreak of H5N1 occur.
- The mobile vaccination system ensured that resources were deployed rapidly, efficiently, and equitably.
Key Takeaways
- Flexibility: The ability to rapidly adapt and deploy a mobile, scalable vaccination tracking solution was crucial.
- Speed: Primary.Health’s fast implementation and training allowed SD DOH to begin clinics on schedule.
- Community Engagement: On-site clinics with a focus on accessibility (including language translation) helped build trust within the dairy farm community, which is essential for long-term H5N1 response and preparedness.
Tailor Healthcare to Your Community’s Needs
Flu vaccine administration is one of many community clinic solutions powered by Primary.Health. We make it easy to launch and administer health services in your neighborhood. Choose from a range of wellness screenings for respiratory illness, sexual health, and more, as well as immunizations for children, adolescents, and older adults. Talk to our Provider team to learn how we can tailor a tech-powered solution to the health needs of the people you serve — wherever they are. We bring healthcare to your community!
