Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search


Español  Other Languages


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People
 Search
		×
			Vaccines site
			Vaccines site
				All CDC
				Submit
			For a full list of topics:A-Z Index
			Advanced Search
		Advanced Search


Healthcare Providers / Professionals








Planning Activities						Print
																Related Pages
										Establish the purpose and goal(s) of your clinic, including target population, whether it is open to the public or only for specific groups, numbers to be served, and vaccine(s) to be offered. Once the purpose is established, identify mission-essential staffing and resources appropriate for the clinic location and size.Illustration of a person next to a podium.Leadership and Staffing
Establish a staffing plan and identify functional roles and responsibilities for each clinic. Not all functions may be necessary for all clinics. Staffing plans should be scalable to the expected number of people who will be vaccinated. In some instances, such as small clinics, a staff member may be able to perform multiple tasks. Functional roles and responsibilities for large-scale clinics (e.g., multi-day events held at large arenas or stadiums) will require additional consideration.
**Leadership Roles and Responsibilities***
Designate leaders to oversee and coordinate the following operations and tasks (backup leaders are highly encouraged):
Administrative functions, including requirements for data management strategies
Emergency medical services (EMS) or other options for handling emergency situations
Finances related to all staffing, logistics, and vaccine purchase
Logistics during the clinic, including securing all services and material requirements of the clinic
On-site infection prevention and control measures, based on COVID-19 community transmission
Post-clinic evaluation
Post-clinic reporting and recording of vaccinations administered, including reporting to the jurisdiction immunization information system (IIS)
Preordering vaccine in advance if not using an already available supply
Public information and communication
Identifying all staff needed for the clinic
Security planning and implementation, including evacuation plans
Site selection
Training of all staff, including training clinical staff on vaccine storage, handling, and administration; how to recognize an allergic reaction to vaccination; and what to do if a medical emergency occurs
Vaccine ordering, storage and handling pre-clinic, during transport and the clinic, and post-clinic*Extensive planning and coordination will be necessary if there are multiple clinics at multiple sites. There should be a higher-level leadership team handling the planning for all clinics, with separate leadership at each clinic site.Illustration of a healthcare professional.Clinical Staffing**Ensure adequate staff has been secured to provide the following functions:**
Provide IT support for online processes (e.g., registration, scheduling, screening).
Provide security.
Provide traffic monitoring for drive-through or curbside clinics.
Monitor logistical, administrative, and financial activities to support the clinic.
Implement infection prevention and control measures.
Greet patients to ensure they are at the correct place and guide them as appropriate.
Communicate with non-English-speaking patients.
Assist people with disabilities.
Register patients, including collecting any insurance information or fees, as appropriate.
Screen for vaccine eligibility and contraindications and precautions.
Direct clinic flow.
Educate patients about the vaccine and provide vaccine information statements or emergency use authorization (EUA) fact sheets.
Manage vaccines, including storage, handling, and transport to clinic if necessary.
Monitor vaccine temperatures before, during, and after the clinic.
Prepare and administer vaccine.
Observe patients post-vaccination for syncope or allergic reaction, if applicable.
Provide emergency medical services (e.g., CPR and management of allergic reactions).
Report vaccines administered to the jurisdiction IIS (during or after the clinic).An organizational chart can help establish roles and responsibilities.Illustration of a maze.Vaccination Clinic Location and LayoutConsider populations to be served, environmental conditions, individual site capability, and ability to comply with federal, state, and local guidelines when selecting the type of clinic to offer:
Indoor clinic such as one in a school, church, auditorium, theater, pharmacy, or inside a medical facility in a hallway, classroom, or cafeteria
Curbside or drive-through clinic
Outdoor walk-through clinic or clinic in an outdoor tent outside a medical facility
Mobile clinic****Consider the existing infrastructure of the location, including:
Ability to accommodate weather if it is a walk-through, curbside, drive-through, or mobile clinic
Ability to maintain appropriate vaccine cold chain, storage and monitoring, as well as ability to resupply as needed
Accessible restrooms and waiting areas
Adequate heating, cooling, and lighting
Adequate power outlets and electrical capacity for clinic needs, including portable vaccine refrigerators and computers, if applicable
Compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards
Data collection and management strategy based on site capability (manual processes must be planned for temporary sites lacking specific infrastructure)
Internet access
Access to vaccination history (if applicable)
Reporting to an IIS or electronic health record (EHR)Proximity to population centers and mass transitFinally, consider the ability to accommodate for clinic layout.It is always preferable to have vaccine(s) shipped directly to the clinic site instead of transporting them from another facility. If possible, select a location with on-site equipment that can secure and store vaccines at appropriate temperatures. Ensure staff can check the shipment immediately upon arrival to ensure there has been no temperature excursion, place the vaccines in storage unit(s), and regularly monitor vaccine temperatures.
If direct shipment is not possible, plans must be made to ensure vaccines can be handled safely and the cold chain can be maintained during transport and throughout the clinic workday. Transport vaccines in a stable storage unit and monitor with an approved temperature monitoring device. If the facility doesn’t have the capacity to refrigerate the vaccine on arrival, then a portable vaccine storage unit or container qualified to maintain appropriate temperatures may be used along with a digital data logger.
Regardless of whether vaccines are delivered to the site or transported there, plans must include regular monitoring of vaccine temperature before, during, and after the clinic.
Vaccines cannot be administered if they are not kept at appropriate temperatures based on information in manufacturer package insert, EUA factsheet and CDC guidance.
Specific guidance can be found in CDC’s *Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit***.**Illustration of people.Coordinate with Government, Nonprofit, and Private Sector Partners
Government entities, including state and local immunization programs and state and local public health preparedness programs, as well as other nonprofit and private sector organizations can assist with your plans.
**For example, your local or state immunization program can provide information about:**
Underserved areas and populations
The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program and how it functions related to temporary vaccination clinics
Possible options for government-funded vaccine for adults
Your jurisdiction’s IIS for reporting vaccination or regulations about providing information to a patient’s primary care provider
Additional legal and regulatory requirements, including the requirement for standing orders to vaccinate**State and local preparedness programs can provide expertise on:**
Budget support
Clinic flow charts
Coordination with the jurisdictional emergency management agency
Floor maps
Inventory management strategies
Job action sheets
Organizational and incident management structures
Transportation, law enforcement, and EMS coordination
Volunteer coordination and management strategies**Always check with your immunization program for specific requirements on how vaccines should be delivered, stored, monitored, and documented.**
These programs and organizations can assist in promoting your event and may be able to assist with staffing and other resources. Depending on the support offered, you may wish to have formal agreements with partner organizations.Healthcare professional at a computer.**Standing orders****authorize licensed nurses and pharmacists, where allowed by state law, to administer vaccines according to an institution- or physician-approved protocol without the need for a physician’s examination or direct order. If standing orders related to vaccination and emergency medical care will be used, check with your state immunization program to ensure you have met any state requirements, and obtain a signed standing orders document.**Top of Page**Pre-Clinic Activities****During the Clinic Activities****Post-Clinic Activities**Top of Page
							
					
							Last Reviewed:  November 15, 2022						Source: 	National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
					Facebook
        Twitter
        LinkedIn
        Syndicate homeHealthcare Professionals / Providers Home
Clinical Resourcesplus icon
Immunization Schedules
ACIP Recommendations
Standards for Adult Practices
Pink Book
Vaccine Shortages
Traveler Vaccine Recommendations
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)
Pediatric Vaccination Practices During COVID-19
Resources for Healthcare Providers
Administration Toolsplus icon
Vaccine Storage & Handlingplus icon
Storage and Handling Resources
Storage and Handling Toolkit
You Call The Shots: Vaccine Storage and Handling
Vaccine Administrationplus icon
Review Immunization History
Assess for Needed Immunizations
Screen for Contraindications and Precautions
Educate the Patient
Prepare the Vaccine(s)
Administer the Vaccine(s)
Document the Vaccination(s)
Resource Library
Vaccines for Children (VFC)plus icon
Price list
ACIP-VFC Vaccine Resolutions
VFC Program
VIS
Reminder Systems and Strategies
Patient Educationplus icon
Educating Patientsplus icon
Easy-to-Read Recommended Immunization Schedules
Resources for Conversations with Parents
Resources for Parents of Infants and Toddlers
Resources for Parents of Preteens and Teens
Resources for College Students, Young Adults, and Adults
Resources for Pregnant Women
Patient Education Materials
Parents Who Question Vaccinesplus icon
Understanding Risks & Responsibilities, If You Choose Not to Vaccinate
Talking with Parents about Vaccines for Infants
Talking to Parents about Vaccines
Vaccine Safetyplus icon
Understanding Vaccines and Vaccine Safety
Thimerosal
Multiple Vaccines
HPV Vaccine Safety
Fainting
CDC Vaccine Safety website
Vaccination Materials in Spanish
Immunization Training
Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Vaccines & Immunizations


About CDC
					Contact Us
					800-232-4636
 Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Pinterest Snapchat
 CONTACT CDC
				Contact Us
							Call 800-232-4636
							Email Us
			ABOUT CDC
				About CDC
							Jobs
							Funding
			POLICIES
				Accessibility
							External Links
							Privacy
							Policies
							No Fear Act
							FOIA
							OIG
							Nondiscrimination
							Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			CONNECT WITH US
				Facebook
								Twitter
								Instagram
								LinkedIn
							Youtube
								Pinterest
								Snapchat
								Email
			LANGUAGES
				Español
							繁體中文
							Tiếng Việt
							한국어
							Tagalog
							Русский
							العربية
							Kreyòl Ayisyen
							Français
							Polski
							Português
							Italiano
							Deutsch
							日本語
							فارسی
							English


U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
			Accessibility
			External Links
			Privacy
			Policies
			No Fear Act
			FOIA
			Nondiscrimination
			OIG
			Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			USA.gov


Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy Close
 Links with this icon  indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
				Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
				You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
				CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Website Disclaimers
 Cancel Continue