LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
The 633rd Medical Group demonstrated its flu-fighting capabilities during a mass prophylaxis exercise at the Langley Youth Center Nov. 17.
The annual Air Force-required full functional field exercise tested the group's ability to respond to a pandemic flu outbreak. The 633rd MDG is responsible for the prophylaxis, or disease mitigation and containment measures, for the entire base populace of approximately 32,000 personnel within 48 hours.
In addition to the prophylaxis with medications, the group established a flu vaccine venue concurrent, providing real-world flu shots to patients during the exercise.
Around 300 Airmen, clad in color-coded vests, participated in the event, processing 994 patients in 90 minutes, according to Capt. Sokunthea Peou, the group's inpatient pharmacy officer in charge who oversaw the exercise.
"Our goal was to process 667 patients per hour, and we reached 724 patients in an hour," she said. "Also, we vaccinated 224 real-world patients at the flu venue."
Team members processed 86 "symptomatic personnel" at an average of seven to nine minutes per patient. The flu vaccinations took four hours to complete.
Patients were receptive to the flu-shot venue, finding the demonstration to be reassuring in the face of flu season.
"Thank you very much to all the volunteers that helped [give] flu vaccine to the many Air Force families at the Youth Center last week," said Tommy Posang, via the base's Facebook page.