COCA Email Updates: December 2 - December 16, 2013

Available for download:December 16, 2013, COCA Email Update

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COCA News and Announcements

Recent COCA Call/Webinar

Assessing Risk and Strengthening Community-wide Preparedness

Date:Thursday, November 14, 2013

Risk assessments are a vital source of baseline information for preparedness planning. Community decisions made now affect the lives and investments of everyone in the community for decades. Therefore, it is important to collaborate with key stakeholders when using risk assessment tools to decide which hazards require attention and what actions must be planned for to protect the people, property, and environment. During this COCA Call/Webinar, learn how the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Upper Midwest Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center developed partnerships between health care and public health agencies to assess their community’s risk and improve their community-based planning.

= Continuing Education

Additional COCA Conference Calls
Free CE credit/contact hours (CME, CNE, ACPE, CEU, CECH, and AAVSB/RACE) are available for most COCA calls.

CDC News and Announcements

CDC Science Clips: Volume 5, Issue: 43 – (CDC)
Each week select science clips are shared with the public health community to enhance awareness of emerging scientific knowledge. The focus is applied public health research and prevention science that has the capacity to improve health now.

Public Health Preparedness

Emergency Preparedness and Response – (CDC)
Find resources for All Hazards and Specific Hazards preparedness.

Emergency Preparedness and Response Training Resources for Clinicians – (CDC)
Find online and in-person training centers and resources.

Natural Disasters and Severe Weather

NEW:Public Health Matters Blog: Winter is Coming…Be Ready – December 4 (CDC)
Help spread the word about staying safe this winter. Share our Game of Thrones-inspired eCards or our Be Ready: Winter Weather infographic to encourage your friends and family to be prepared.

Food and Water Needs: Preparing for a Disaster or Emergency – (CDC)

Health and Safety Concerns for All Disasters – (CDC)

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

MMWR publications are prepared by the CDC. Electronically Subscribe

December 6, 2013 / Vol. 62 / No. 48Download .pdf document of this issue

• Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Chester Infections Associated with Frozen Meals — 18 States, 2010
• Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Control and Elimination — Global Progress, 2000–2012
• Notes from the Field: Escherichia coli O157:H7 Outbreak Associated with Seasonal Consumption of Raw Ground Beef — Wisconsin, December 2012–January 2013
• Announcement: National Influenza Vaccination Week — December 8–14, 2013

Infectious, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

NEW:FDA News Release: FDA takes significant steps to address antimicrobial resistance – December 11 (FDA)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is implementing a plan to help phase out the use of medically important antimicrobials in food animals for food production purposes, such as to enhance growth or improve feed efficiency. The plan would also phase in veterinary oversight of the remaining appropriate therapeutic uses of such drugs.

NEW:Public Health Matters Blog: Outbreak of Meningitis Causing Health Officials to Look Overseas for Help – December 9 (CDC)
This time last year public health officials were grappling with a meningitis outbreak linked to fungus found in tainted medication. Now officials are trying to rein in a different outbreak of meningitis, more specifically meningococcal disease, popping up on a college campus, including Princeton University.

Avian Influenza A (H7N9) Virus

Update:Avian Influenza A (H7N9) Virus – December 9 (CDC)
Human infections with a new avian influenza A (H7N9) virus continue to be reported in China. The virus has been detected in poultry in China as well. While mild illness in human cases has been seen, most patients have had severe respiratory illness and some people have died. No cases of H7N9 outside of China have been reported. The new H7N9 virus has not been detected in people or birds in the United States.

Seasonal Influenza

Weekly Flu View – December 9 (CDC)
This is a weekly influenza surveillance report prepared by CDC Influenza Division. All data are preliminary and may change as CDC receives more reports.

Planning and Preparedness: Health Professionals and Seasonal Flu – (HHS)
Health care providers play an important role during flu season. The following guidance and information will assist health care providers and service organizations to plan and respond to seasonal flu.

Travel Safety

Current Travel Warnings – December 6 (US Department of State)
Travel Warnings are issued when long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable lead the State Department to recommend that Americans avoid or consider the risk of travel to that country. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff.

Food, Drug and Device Safety

MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program – (HHS/USFDA)
Your FDA gateway for clinically important safety information and reporting serious problems with human medical products.

FoodSafety.gov Reports FDA and USDA Food Recalls, Alerts, Reporting & Resources – (HHS/UDSA/FDA/CDC/NIH)
For recalls and alerts by both FDA and USDA, or to report a problem or make inquiries.