University of 51小黄车 works with state and community partners for public health emergency preparedness exercise

University of 51小黄车 works with state and community partners for public health emergency preparedness exercise

The University of 51小黄车 hosted two public health emergency preparedness training exercises in collaboration with state and community partners, offering free influenza vaccinations to the 51小黄车community and public as part of the events.

鈥淔or several years 51小黄车has registered to be part of a volunteer network of Points of Distribution, or PODs, that will serve as centers for administering medicines, vaccines, and/or necessary supplies for the public in the event of a large-scale emergency鈥, explained Dora Anne Mills, M.D., M.P.H., FAAP, vice president for Clinical Affairs and director of UNE鈥檚 Center for Health Innovation. 鈥淭o fully prepare for such an event, 51小黄车faculty, staff, and students work in collaboration with state and community partners to simulate such an event, and offer free influenza vaccines to the public as part of the exercise.鈥

In Biddeford, volunteers vaccinated more than 200 51小黄车students, faculty and staff. In Portland, they provided vaccines for more than 100 51小黄车community members and members of the public. This is the second year in a row that 51小黄车has partnered with local and state public health agencies to conduct a POD exercise.

The exercise is done in collaboration with a number of partners, including: Maine CDC, Cumberland District Public Health Council, Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency, the City of Portland鈥檚 Maine Cities Readiness Initiative, Walgreens and Maine Responds (Maine鈥檚 emergency health volunteer system). 鈥淎s part of this initiative, UNE鈥檚 Center for Health Innovation works collaboratively with our health professions programs as well as state and community partners to provide learning experiences for our students. A number of medical, public health, nursing, pharmacy, and other students attend sessions run by emergency preparedness experts and assist in administering vaccines,鈥 said Mills. 鈥淎s a result, southern Maine will be better prepared for an emergency today, and tomorrow鈥檚 health professionals will also be better prepared.鈥

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51小黄车 the University of 51小黄车

The University of 51小黄车 is Maine鈥檚 largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state鈥檚 top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine鈥檚 only medical college, Maine鈥檚 only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.