COCA Email Updates: July 15 - July 29, 2013

Available for download:July 29, 2013, COCA Email Update

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COCA News and Announcements

Upcoming COCA Call/Webinar

Improving the Health of Children and Adults through Vaccines: Updates and Recommendations for Clinicians

Date:Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Time:2:00 - 3:00 pm (Eastern Time)

Dial In Number:888-233-9077

Passcode:382654

Vaccines prevent children and adults from potentially harmful or deadly diseases. To promote health and prevent disease, CDC publishes written recommendations for vaccinating children and adults. These recommendations are based on information from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). It is important for pediatric and adult providers to stay up to date on the most recent ACIP recommendations. During this webinar, a CDC subject matter expert will address recent vaccine recommendations along with available immunization resources.

= Continuing Education

Recent COCA Call/Webinar

Understanding the Public’s Response to a Possible Scenario Involving Inhalation Anthrax

Date:Tuesday, July 23, 2013

In planning an effective response to a bioterrorism incident, it is critical to understand and anticipate the public’s viewpoint, their perceptions of the threat and their intended behaviors. This includes their likelihood of taking recommended precautions and their likelihood of taking matters into their own hands. In particular, it is important to understand the perspective of racial/ethnic minority groups given that these communities may be disproportionately affected in a real attack. During this webinar, subject matter experts discussed results from public opinion polls conducted between December 2012 to January 2013, which assessed how people would respond to a possible release of anthrax spores in an unidentified area.

= 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

NEW:CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden Twitter Chat: Preventing HPV
CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden will host a live Twitter chat on increasing HPV vaccination rates. Follow Dr. Frieden on Twitter to join the conversation.

When:Monday, July 29, 3:00-4:00PM EDT

Join the conversation:Follow Dr. Frieden on Twitter @DrFriedenCDC and use the hashtag #CDCchat to participate.

CDC Science Clips: Volume 5, Issue: 28 – (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

NEW:Free Webinar: Focused Continuity of Operations Planning (FCOOP): A Management Approach

Date:Tuesday, Aug 13

Time:2-3 pm (Eastern)

The Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH), the South Central Preparedness & Emergency Response Learning Center (SCPERLC), and CDC invite you to participate in a free webinar for federal, state, local and tribal public health partners). During this webinar, presenters from SCPERLC will discuss a process, known as Focused Continuity of Operations Planning (FCOOP) and how it can be a simple, structured, participative, efficient, and effective process for developing and maintaining continuity of operations plans (COOPs).

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: Beat the Heat: Infographic – July 24 (CDC)
Summer is upon us and many parts of the country are experiencing high temperatures which can pose a variety of different health problems. We’ve put together this new infographic to go over some of the facts and figures associated with heat waves.

Returning Home After a Disaster: Be Healthy and Safe – (CDC)

Health and Safety Concerns for All Disasters – (CDC)

Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Journal

EID is prepared by the CDC. EID Home Page
Volume 19, Number 8 – August 2013

Highlights in this issue include:

• Norovirus Disease in the United States
• Emergency Department Visit Data for Rapid Detection and Monitoring of Norovirus Activity, United States
• Effects and Clinical Significance of GII.4 Sydney Norovirus, United States, 2012–2013
• Outbreak-associated Salmonella enterica Serotypes and Food Commodities, United States, 1998–2008

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

MMWR publications are prepared by the CDC. Electronically Subscribe

July 26, 2013 / Vol. 62 / No. 29Download .pdf document of this issue

• World Hepatitis Day — July 28, 2013
• Investigation of Hepatitis E Outbreak Among Refugees — Upper Nile, South Sudan, 2012-2013
• Hepatitis B Vaccine Birthdose Practices in a Country Where Hepatitis B is Endemic — Laos, December 2011–February 2012
• Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Coverage Among Adolescent Girls, 2007–2012, and Postlicensure Vaccine Safety Monitoring, 2006–2013 — United States

Infectious, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)

Update:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) – July 26 (CDC)
A novel coronavirus called “Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus” (MERS-CoV) was identified in 2012 as the cause of respiratory illness in people. Investigations are being done to figure out the source of MERS-CoV and how it spreads.

NEW:World Health Organization interim travel advice on MERS-CoV for pilgrimages to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – July 25 (WHO)
Please see for WHO travel advice for pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia.

Avian Influenza A (H7N9) Virus

Update:Avian Influenza A (H7N9) Virus – July 26 (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 – July 25 (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 – July 26 (US Department of State)
Travel Warnings are issuedwhen 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

NEW:FDA Investigates Multistate Outbreak of Cyclosporiasis – July 26 (FDA)
The FDA, CDC, and state and local officials are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Cyclospora illnesses possibly linked to undetermined food products.

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.