Agency Will Use Spatial Technology as Foundation for New Information System

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expanding its efforts to protect communities and save lives by stopping the spread of preventable illnesses. Through its Vaccinate with Confidence strategy, the CDC seeks to give communities more resources for effective conversations about the value of vaccines. Digital tools will play an important role in this national effort. As such, the agency has awarded a contract to Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, for technology and services that support an expansion of the CDC's current work in vaccine education and outreach.

"Technology with a geographic approach can greatly expand capabilities and success rates for agencies charged with protecting public health," said Jack Dangermond, Esri founder and president. "We are proud to support the CDC and its many partners as they continue this important work and are hopeful that our collaboration will result in a more effective response."

Esri has worked with public health agencies and governments around the world to help combat the spread of the novel coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. The company's geographic information system (GIS) software was the foundation for Johns Hopkins University's iconic COVID-19 Dashboard, which allowed organizations to track and analyze the spread of the virus and take action.

The CDC is focused on preventing the spread of a spectrum of preventable diseases, including COVID-19. While vaccination rates are high overall nationally, the goal of Esri's work is to apply geospatial science to uncover and target underlying factors that can influence vaccine confidence. Without broader acceptance and participation in immunization efforts, the nation is at risk for adverse health outcomes, loss of lives, and large-scale spread of disease in the population.

Vaccinate with Confidence aims to identify communities that may be vulnerable to outbreaks because of low vaccination rates. To accomplish this the CDC will leverage existing CDC data and other publicly available sources to model vaccine confidence in granular geographies. The agency plans to make new investments that complement its existing efforts, including the following:

• Developing spatial data methods and associated visualizations and laying a foundation for scientific infrastructure required to assess community vulnerability and address the many dimensions of human health associated with increasing vaccine confidence
• Working with local partners and trusted messengers to improve confidence in vaccines among at-risk groups
• Establishing partnerships for sharing accurate information about vaccines
• Reaching critical stakeholders to provide clear information about vaccination and its importance for protecting the public

Visit the CDC's website to learn more about the Vaccinate with Confidence initiative.

About Esri

Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in more than 350,000 organizations globally and in over 200,000 institutions in the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofits, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial information technology, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions for digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics. Visit us at esri.com.

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