'Operation Medicine Delivery' Tests Emergency Preparedness of Twin Cities | Health

If there’s an emergency, can the government quickly get medicine to the public?

The Twin Cities is about to find out.

A public health emergency preparedness test called “Operation Medicine Delivery” will be conducted by the U.S. Postal Service and local, state, and federal government agencies.

The government is seeing how fast medicine can be delivered to people’s homes during a simulated emergency. Empty pill bottles and a flyer will be delivered to residents in St. Paul and Minneapolis on the morning of Sunday, May 6. U.S. Postal Service volunteers will be making the runs.

According to information from Ramsey County, the event is only a test and there’s no reason to believe that a real emergency is imminent. The idea for the plan has been looked at since early 2010. The county also says that more than 300 postal workers have been recruited and trained for the Postal Plan in the Twin Cities.

Medicine will be given to those living in zip codes 55101, 55102, 55411, and 55422.