R 291828Z JUL 10

ALCOAST 400/10
COMDTNOTE 6200
SUBJ: 2010-2011 SEASONAL INFLUENZA (FLU) IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM
A. IMMUNIZATIONS AND CHEMOPROPHYLAXIS, COMDTINST M6230.4 (SERIES)
1. ANNUAL SEASONAL INFLUENZA (FLU) IMMUNIZATION IS MANDATORY FOR ALL
COAST GUARD (CG) ACTIVE DUTY (AD) AND SELECTED RESERVE (SELRES)
PERSONNEL TO ENSURE CG FORCE MEDICAL READINESS AND AVOID DISRUPTION
OF CG MISSIONS.
2. COMMANDING OFFICERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING PERSONNEL
IMMUNIZATION READINESS, INCLUDING THE SEASONAL FLU VACCINE. THIS YEAR
THE NOVEL H1N1 FLU VACCINE HAS BEEN COMBINED WITH THE SEASONAL FLU
VACCINE. ONE IMMUNIZATION WILL PROTECT AGAINST THREE STRAINS OF
INFLUENZA. CG MEMBERS MAY RECEIVE THE FLU IMMUNIZATION AFTER 01AUG10
AS SUPPLIES BECOME AVAILABLE. AD AND SELRES MEMBERS SHALL ACHIEVE 100
PERCENT COMPLIANCE NLT 01 DEC 2010.
3. SEASONAL FLU IMMUNIZATION FOR CG MEMBERS SHALL BE ENTERED INTO THE
MEDICAL READINESS REPORTING SYSTEM (MRRS). EXEMPTIONS TO THE SEASONAL
FLU IMMUNIZATION MAY BE CONSIDERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF A.
4. THERE ARE TWO SEASONAL FLU VACCINE OPTIONS - NASAL SPRAY (FLUMIST)
OR INJECTABLE. FLUMIST CAN BE USED FOR INDIVIDUALS, AGES 2-49 YEARS,
WHO HAVE NO MEDICAL CONTRAINDICATIONS. DISCUSS YOUR MEDICAL HISTORY
WITH YOUR PRIMARY CARE MANAGER (PCM) TO DETERMINE THE BEST VACCINE
CHOICE FOR YOU. FLUMIST IS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR PERSONNEL ON ACTIVE
FLIGHT OR DIVING STATUS.
5. ELIGIBILITY: AD, SELRES PERSONNEL, DEPLOYING CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES
AND CIVILIAN HEALTHCARE EMPLOYEES PROVIDING DIRECT PATIENT CARE ARE
THE HIGHEST PRIORITY GROUPS. OTHER DEERS-ELIGIBLE BENEFICIARIES
DEEMED HIGH RISK BY THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
(CDC) CRITERIA ARE THE NEXT HIGHEST PRIORITY. SICKBAYS SHALL WORK
WITH THEIR SUPPORTING REGIONAL PHARMACY EXECUTIVE (RPE) TO ENSURE
ADEQUATE VACCINE AVAILABILITY FOR AD AND SELRES IN THEIR AOR. CLINICS
SHALL ORDER AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF VACCINE FOR AD, SELRES, AND
ENROLLED HIGH RISK BENEFICIARIES. ONCE THESE PRIORITY POPULATIONS ARE
IMMUNIZED, CLINICS MAY OFFER THE FLU IMMUNIZATION TO ALL OTHER
BENEFICIARIES, AND THEN ALL CG CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES AS SUPPLIES ALLOW.
6. IT IS PREFERRED THAT AD AND SELRES MEMBERS RECEIVE THEIR VACCINE
AT A CG CLINIC/SICKBAY. HOWEVER, SEASONAL FLU VACCINES ARE AVAILABLE
FOR ELIGIBLE TRICARE BENEFICIARIES BY ANY TRICARE AUTHORIZED PROVIDER
THROUGH ONE OF THE NETWORK PHARMACIES THAT PARTICIPATES IN THE
VACCINATION PROGRAM AT NO COST. TO LOCATE A PARTICIPATING PHARMACY
VISIT WWW.EXPRESS-SCRIPTS.COM/TRICARE OR CALL 1-877-363-1303. AD AND
SELRES MEMBERS WHO CHOOSE TO OBTAIN THEIR SEASONAL FLU VACCINE
THROUGH THIS AVENUE MUST OBTAIN FLU VACCINE IMMUNIZATION
DOCUMENTATION AT THE TIME OF THE IMMUNIZATION AND FORWARD TO THEIR
RESPECTIVE CG MEDICAL READINESS POC IN A TIMELY MANNER FOR
DOCUMENTATION INTO MRRS.
7. TAKING SIMPLE DAILY PRECAUTIONS CAN HELP PREVENT ILLNESS AND
TRANSMISSION OF SEASONAL FLU. COVER YOUR COUGH OR SNEEZE, PRACTICE
GOOD HYGIENE BY WASHING HANDS OFTEN AND USING ALCOHOL BASED HAND
SANITIZER, AND USING DISINFECTANT WIPES TO CLEAN YOUR WORK AREA. FOR
MORE INFORMATION ON SEASONAL INFLUENZA AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES, GO TO
THE CDC WEBSITE AT HTTP:WWW.CDC.GOV/FLU.
8.  POCS FOR THIS POLICY AT HSWL SUPACT ARE CAPT MARIO FAJARDO AT
(510) 637-1225, MARIO.E.FAJARDO(AT)USCG.MIL OR CAPT JEFFREY
SALVON-HARMAN AT 757-628-4331, JEFFREY.C.SALVONHARMAN(AT)USCG.MIL AND
AT COMDT (CG-1121), CAPT ANITA ARNOLD 202-475-5171,
ANITA.F.ARNOLD(AT)USCG.MIL.
9. RELEASED BY RADM MARK TEDESCO DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND
WORKLIFE.
10. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.