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Public Health Emergency

Florida Department of Health in Pasco County

Medications during a Public Health Emergency
Strategic National Stockpile - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) has large amounts of medicine to protect the American public if there is a public health emergency (terrorist attack, flu outbreak, earthquake). Once Federal and local authorities agree that the SNS is needed, medicines will be delivered to any state in the U.S. within 12 hours.

The medicine in the SNS is free for everyone.
The SNS has stockpiled enough medicine to protect people in several large cities at the same time.

Your business, civic organization, or place of worship may have already partnered with public health and developed plans to provide medications to its members as well. By partnering with the DOH-Pasco’s Cities Readiness Initiative, your organization can join the response effort and be a driving force in protecting the health and well-being of all residents and visitors to Pasco County!

Points of Dispensing – Emergency Medicine Distribution Information (POD)
If a widespread disease outbreak or a bioterrorist attack event occurs, DOH-Pasco will open temporary clinics called POINTS OF DISPENSING (POD) to provide medication to all residents to protect them against the threat.

Tips for your visit to a POD site

  1. PODs will not treat sick people. People will be told to go to a hospital if they are sick.
  2. Medications are free for everyone.
  3. Personal identification will NOT be required.
  4. Required forms will be at the POD however they can also be found here (PDF 155KB) if you wish to print and fill out before going to the POD.
  5. Each individual coming to a POD site can accept medications for up to 15 people, we encourage citizens to take care of friends or neighbors  who are unable to travel to the POD site.
  6. Forms will need to include information (weight, medicine allergies) on each person you will be picking up medication for.
  7. Everyone will need to be patient. While we will make every effort to make the process quick and comfortable, we expect that lines will be long. Therefore, children, persons who are ill, or persons who are unable to stand in line for an extended period of time should not attend.