The Rowan County Public Health Department will host a mass vaccination exercise from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 19 at West End Plaza.

The exercise will provide participants with an opportunity to assess capabilities, plans, policies and procedures. It will focus on decision-making, coordination and integration with other organizations during a mock vaccination response, according to a release from the health department.

The exercise will be a drive-through mock vaccination clinic in which volunteers will drive vehicles through stations to simulate how a real-world mass vaccination would be conducted.

The goal of the exercise is to test how the Public Health Department would use West End Plaza during a public health emergency and provide hands-on training to department staff and partners to respond for preparedness.

The following agencies are participating in the exercise:

• Rowan County Health Department.

• Rowan County Emergency Management.

• Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.

• Rowan-Salisbury Schools.

• Rowan County Facilities Management.

• Rowan County Information Technology.

• American Red Cross.

• The Arc of North Carolina, Triad Region.

• Rowan Vocational Opportunities.

• Novant Health Rowan Medical Center.

• Triad Healthcare Preparedness Coalition.

• N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing.

• N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Public
Health Preparedness and Response Branch.

Such drills provide opportunities to strengthen interagency coordination and ensure preparedness plans are in place, the news release said.

During the exercise, area residents and businesses will see an increase in traffic in the West End Plaza area. Law officers will be present to direct traffic.