[Costs of the influenza pandemic for the public health services - calculations based on the model of the metropolitan region Frankfurt am Main]

Abstract

The influenza pandemic of 2009 has been the biggest challenge to the public health services in post-war Germany. This study investigates the impact on the overall costs for the public health authorities of the metropolitan region Frankfurt am Main which arose in the context of the pandemic as well as the specific costs of the implementation and realisation of the vaccination campaign during the pandemic. In 2009 the incremental costs for the Health Protection Authority of the City of Frankfurt am Main for the prevention and logistics caused by this pandemic amounted to € 223,537.91, whereas costs which could be directly attributed to the vaccination campaign (vaccine not included amounted to only a fraction thereof (€ 45,401.48). The per-capita costs for vaccinated citizens were € 10.66. These results clearly demonstrate the importance of adequate financial resources for the public health authorities to cope with infectious disease outbreaks and future pandemics.