The Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI), administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was launched in 2004 to help cities distribute antibiotics and other medications to 100% of the local population within 48 hours of a bioterror attack or other widespread infectious disease outbreak. The program covers 72 metropolitan are, about 57% of the nation's population, at a cost of $300 million so far, the Rand Corp. said in a press release yesterday.
The evaluators from Rand reported the CRI has improved regions' readiness by allowing them to:
* Increase the number of staff working on countermeasure dispensing
* Strengthen partnerships with other responders who play key roles in dispensing, such as law enforcement and emergency management
* Adopt streamlined dispensing methods that incorporate nonmedical staff and use nontraditional sites such as schools, businesses, and bank drive-throughs
* Purchase equipment and supplies such as mobile dispensing units and communications equipment
* Conduct planning activities such as security assessments, training, and exercises
The CRI is worth continuing, authors concluded. They recommended that the CDC reassess the program again in 2 to 3 years, continue developing measurement systems, and keep making improvements in technical assistance and assessment.
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/bt/bioprep/news/mar2509rand-br.html (the entire Rand study is linked in this article)
The evaluators from Rand reported the CRI has improved regions' readiness by allowing them to:
* Increase the number of staff working on countermeasure dispensing
* Strengthen partnerships with other responders who play key roles in dispensing, such as law enforcement and emergency management
* Adopt streamlined dispensing methods that incorporate nonmedical staff and use nontraditional sites such as schools, businesses, and bank drive-throughs
* Purchase equipment and supplies such as mobile dispensing units and communications equipment
* Conduct planning activities such as security assessments, training, and exercises
The CRI is worth continuing, authors concluded. They recommended that the CDC reassess the program again in 2 to 3 years, continue developing measurement systems, and keep making improvements in technical assistance and assessment.
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/bt/bioprep/news/mar2509rand-br.html (the entire Rand study is linked in this article)