Category: Emergency Response and Recovery
Tick, tock, tick tock—While others sleep, what are CDC experts doing to keep America safe?
As the clock ticks and people sleep peacefully, public health experts from CDC’s Division of Global Health Protection (DGHP) in collaboration with subject matter experts across CDC both in Atlanta and around the world are working 24/7 to support the agency’s mission to protect the health and safety of Americans and save lives. Keeping Read More >
Posted on byGlobal Rapid Responders – Our Boots on the Ground Defense
Because our world is more connected than ever, a disease threat that occurs anywhere can very quickly spread across boundaries and become a threat to people worldwide. New microbes are emerging and spreading, drug resistance is rising, and limited biosafety and security measures in laboratories around the world make the intentional or unintentional release of Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentHurricane Matthew and Haiti: Putting CDC Expertise to Work
Life can quickly move from hard to catastrophic when a vulnerable island nation lies directly in the path of a Category 4 storm, as Haiti did when Hurricane Matthew roared ashore to bludgeon its remote southwest region on October 4th. People need immediate shelter when a disaster like this strikes. They need doctors, nurses, and Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsHow Better Data Means Better Decisions in Emergencies
In an emergency, health workers need access to information quickly. They need to know the facts: Where is the outbreak occurring? Who is it affecting? How is it spreading? People on the ground may each have critical pieces of the puzzle, but they may not be connecting. What’s needed is a central system where all Read More >
Posted on byVietnam: Increased Surveillance Leads to Detection of Zika Virus
Vietnam EOC gathered for a briefing about the Zika virus. Along with WHO, CDC experts Anthony Mounts, Trang Do, Michael Johansson, and Leisha Nolen provided consultation during the meeting. CDC Vietnam will enhance surveillance and temperature monitoring at border control areas and alert pregnant women to be aware and report any signs and symptoms. The Read More >
Posted on byVietnam: Empowering Communities to Detect Potential Outbreaks Early
Diseases may start in local communities before they spread and become widespread outbreaks. Vietnam is harnessing the power of community members to identify potential outbreaks earlier to shorten response times and avert epidemics. A parent hears rumors from other parents about several children bitten by a rabid dog. A teacher sees an unusually high number Read More >
Posted on byMabinty Tarawally — 1-1-7 Hotline Responder
Mabinty Tarawally has worked as a 1-1-7 Call Center responder for almost a year. When she began, the national call center consisted of seven people who handled 100 calls a day in a small room at the World Health Organization’s Sierra Leone country office. Tarawally joined the 1-1-7 Call Center in September 2014, and has Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentWorking collaboratively to support Ebola response efforts in Sierra Leone
CDC’s FETP partnerships with African nations continue to be leveraged beyond their national borders and for new and unexpected health threats. Dr. Bao-Ping’s blog posted originally on March 31 is being highlighted again as a reminder of how FETPs support global as well as individual nation’s health security. In late November 2014, during the peak Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentWorking collaboratively to support Ebola response efforts in Sierra Leone
In late November 2014, during the peak of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, I was deployed to Sierra Leone to support CDC’s Ebola response efforts. Like many of my colleagues, I wasn’t sure what to expect or where to begin, but I knew that we faced immense challenges, and my skills and expertise in Read More >
Posted on byImplications of Latrines on Women’s and Girls’ Safety
Michelle Hynes and Michelle Dynes are epidemiologists in CDC’s Emergency Response and Recovery Branch. They took a moment out of their hectic schedules to talk about their work related to World Toilet Day. Dr. Hynes and Dr. Dynes have been involved in public health activities linking the safety of women and girls to the locations Read More >
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