What is the purpose of the Strategic National Stockpile in a biological emergency?

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The Strategic National Stockpile serves as a critical component of U.S. civil defense in the event of a biological emergency. Its primary purpose is to provide a rapid supply of essential medical resources to support public health responses during crises.1

To achieve this, the program maintains 50-ton "push packages" strategically stored in a dozen locations across the United States. These packages contain:1

Vaccines
Medicines
Decontamination agents
Emergency medical equipment1

By prepositioning these supplies, the program ensures that necessary countermeasures are available for deployment to areas affected by a biological attack, thereby augmenting local medical capabilities and supporting emergency procedures such as mass vaccinations.1