By Gerardo R. Partido
Variety News Staff

THE Department of Public Health and Social Services will hold a mass immunization clinic exercise this weekend to test its public health emergency preparedness.
DPHSS is inviting everyone 18 years or older to participate in the exercise. The mass immunization clinic will be held this Saturday at the University of Guam Field House from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or while supplies last.
Participants will receive a free flu shot for their assistance in the exercise, which aims to test DPHSS’s preparedness plan to see how well it works and to identify areas that may need to be improved.
DPHSS has long been fine-tuning its emergency preparedness in the wake of the avian flu scare that swept through Asia last year and in 2005.
The department has been very active in the drafting of the Guam Pandemic Flu Master Plan, which outlines the measures that various GovGuam agencies could do to prepare and combat the pandemic flu and other emergencies.
Attendees at the Feb. 17 clinic will complete the four phases outlined in the mass immunization plan.
According to DPHSS, the following steps would be followed during a public health emergency that would require residents to receive a vaccination or antibiotics:
* Registration – Submission of a one-page form with basic health and demographic information;
* Medical screening – A process during which people can ask trained medical staff questions;
* Vaccination – Individuals are given their vaccinations; and
* Observation – Patients are monitored for a short time to ensure that they do not encounter any side effects from immunization.
According to DPHSS, another goal of the exercise is to identify weaknesses in the island’s mass immunization plan as well as to identify the strengths of the plan.
DPHSS said feedback from participants, staff, and observers will be welcomed. Those interested in participating are asked to bring their current shot card with them.
Individuals who received a flu shot earlier this year need not participate.