Category: public health

#BeCyberSmart: 5 Ways to Protect Your Health Tech

A stethoscope on top of a laptop keyboard.

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Technological advances have made the field of home-use medical devices one of the most exciting in medicine. New technologies are being applied to all different types of devices, including those that are implanted, worn, and used at home or in health care settings. The result is safer, timelier, and Read More >

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Service Beyond Oneself: MRC Volunteers Share Their ‘Why’

Medical Reserve Corps volunteers

The Martin Luther King (MLK) Day of Service is an opportunity to help “strengthen communities, bridge barriers, [and] create solutions to social problems” through volunteering. While there are many ways to strengthen your community, one way is to help your community prepare for public health emergencies. Improving community preparedness and responses to public health emergencies is, of Read More >

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Operation Shortbread Is Not Your ‘Cookie Cutter’ MCM Exercise

A line of vehicles at a point of dispensing drill

December 4 is National Cookie Day, which—from a public health perspective—is what makes the scratch-made story of Baltimore County Department of Health and Human Services’ Operation Shortbread a fitting one to tell this time of year. What do cookies have to do with public health, you ask? Before we answer that question, let’s begin with Read More >

Posted on by Kelcie A. Landon, MPH, Health Communication Specialist, Center for Preparedness and Response, Division of State and Local Readiness5 CommentsTags , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Partnerships Help Save Lives When Disaster Strikes

Package of Oseltamivir (i.e., Tamiflu) capsules.

Public health emergencies occur every day across the United States. Tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, infectious disease outbreaks, terrorist attacks, and other emergencies have all occurred within the past few years and likely will happen again. Communities must be ready in the event of a public health emergency – both those they expect and those that Read More >

Posted on by Germaine M. Vazquez, MS, Health Communication Specialist, Center for Preparedness and Response, Division of State and Local ReadinessLeave a commentTags , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

3 Reasons Why Handwashing Should Matter to You

Unseen woman washing her hands with soap in a sink.

Most of us are familiar with the parental-like voice in the back of our minds that helps guide our decision-making—asking us questions like, “Have you called your grandmother lately?” For many that voice serves as a gentle, yet constant reminder to wash our hands. Handwashing with soap and water is one of the most important Read More >

Posted on by David M. Berendes, PhD, MSPH, Epidemiologist15 CommentsTags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Partner, Train, Respond: Increasing Global Emergency Management Capacity

People walking a busy street in Zanzibar.

Countries in Africa are no strangers to major disease outbreaks that can result in illness and death of millions of people.  In the past two years alone the continent has experienced infectious disease outbreaks of cholera, meningitis, Ebola Virus Disease, Lassa fever, and Yellow fever, and other public health emergencies such as drought and famine. Read More >

Posted on by Loretta Jackson Brown, PhD, RN, Health Communication Specialist and Meredith Pinto, MPH, Health Scientist1 CommentTags , , , , , , , , , , ,