At the Rhode Island Department of Health, the Medical Countermeasures Distribution Program is responsible for giving out things like medicine, vaccine, and personal protective equipment to healthcare professionals and members of the public in response to an outbreak. 

The program has detailed plans prepared for responding to various emergency public health scenarios. In recent years, the program has responded to measles cases among international travelers, a meningitis outbreak at a university, and the arrival of flu strains like H1N1. But nothing they’ve responded to so far compares to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

This week’s guest expert is Brittan Bates-Manni. In her role as the director of RIDOH's Medical Countermeasures Distribution Program, she played an integral role in recent outbreak responses and Rhode Island’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout.  

What are some of the challenges that made the COVID-19 vaccine rollout different from other emergency responses? As we enter year three of the pandemic, what does the future of the COVID-19 response look like? Download this week’s episode to find out.