Category: Disease Outbreak
Other Diseases Did Not Rest During COVID-19
The COVID-19 response is the largest in CDC history. But the virus that causes COVID-19 wasn’t the only infectious disease that CDC responded to last year. Diseases like those caused by the Marburg virus and antibiotic-resistant bacteria didn’t go away because of the pandemic. The National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) deployed Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsWhen Evacuation is a Must – Protect Yourself from Norovirus
Natural disasters are unpredictable. Often, we don’t know when or where they will happen or if we will have to leave our homes because of them. Evacuations for hurricanes and wildfires can force people into emergency shelters, where close quarters, shared spaces, and high-touch surfaces can make it easy for norovirus to spread. Norovirus outbreaks Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsAFM is Serious: Know the Symptoms. Act Fast.
Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a serious neurologic condition that causes limb weakness and paralysis. While uncommon, AFM affects mostly children, and can have devastating, long-term effects for patients and their families. There have been three AFM outbreaks in the United States—in 2014, 2016, and 2018. If this biennial pattern continues, another outbreak might occur Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsProbabilities, Not Promises: How Computer Models are Used in Emergency Preparedness & Response
Computer models are not crystal balls. They are the result of a set of variables going through mathematical algorithms. What comes out is a simulation of what might happen if present truths are accurate predictors of future trends. Models show probabilities; they don’t make promises. Models have many applications. Epidemiologists use them to predict disease Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentOlder Americans Month: How You Can Help Protect Their Health
May is Older Americans Month. When President John F. Kennedy designated May as “Senior Citizens Month” in 1963, approximately 17 million Americans were age 65 or older.(1) Today, that number is 45 million.(2) It’s a demographic comparable in size to the population of Argentina.(3) Who Are Older Adults? Older adults are our parents, grandparents, aunts, Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsKitchen Conversations: How to Talk with Young Children About COVID-19
This pandemic has been a challenge for everyone. The COVID-19 outbreak has changed our daily lives in ways we never could have imagined. As a result, many of us are wearing multiple hats, including that of a homeschool teacher. Children learn from adults outside of scheduled school time, too. Kids are observant. They soak in Read More >
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