When planning rapid response vaccination, priority should be given to

• A. Vaccinating only travelers
• B. Intensified campaigns that quickly boost population immunity
• C. Waiting for full data before acting
• D. Limiting vaccination to administrative staff

Answer: (B)

Rapid response vaccination should focus on rapidly boosting immunity across the population to interrupt transmission as quickly as possible. Intensified campaigns that quickly raise population immunity reduce the number of susceptible individuals, limiting the virus’s ability to spread and preventing new cases, including those that are asymptomatic yet contagious. In poliovirus outbreaks, time is critical because transmission can continue even before many cases are detected, so broad, aggressive vaccination in the affected community is far more effective than narrower or delayed actions. Vaccinating only travelers would miss local transmission, waiting for full data delays action during a critical window, and limiting vaccination to administrative staff does not reach those at risk in the community.