Topic: Stakeholders & Collaborations > Immunization Programs

A Pandemic Success Story: Distribution and Administration of COVID-19 Vaccines

Issued on October 13, 2022 by Journal of Public Health Management & Practice

A Pandemic Success Story: Distribution and Administration of COVID-19 Vaccines
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense hardship and suffering across our nation. It continues to test the capacity and resilience of the US public health system and has put great personal and physical strain on the public health workforce. The development of effective COVID-19 vaccines has been the turning point of the pandemic, and the speed at which these vaccines were developed was a significant scientific accomplishment. Equally impressive was the widespread distribution and administration of this vaccine by state and local health departments. As of July 28, 2022, 78.8% of the US population had received at least one dose of the vaccine,1 a rate that far surpassed administration of any other vaccine that has been offered to the general public. This commentary reviews specific aspects of planning and administration, partnerships, surveillance, and public health policy and regulatory actions that demonstrate strengths our public health system should be built on for the future.

Authors of this Resource:

Marcus Plescia, MD, MPH 
Claire Hannan, MPH 
Jessica Baggett MPH