Abstract
When Chiron announced its inability to provide influenza vaccine during the 2004-05 season, state and local public health agencies in Minnesota immediately took action to assess and redistribute existing influenza vaccine supplies to those at the highest risk. This experience in 2004, coupled with product delivery delays and shortages in other years, prompted development of a Web-based tool to inventory influenza vaccine orders prior to the start of the 2005-06 influenza season. The resulting data were summarized by region of the state, and the proportion of coverage for the priority risk group population was computed. Based on the importance of having order information available, this vaccine inventory tool will be continually refined and utilized in preparation for each upcoming influenza season.