September 11, 2018

BLOG

Personal Protective Actions You Can Take in a Flu Pandemic. There are things you can do, apart from getting vaccinated and taking medications, to help slow the spread of a flu pandemic.  (CDC, 9/10/18)

NEWS

Baylor Examines Topical Cream Efficacy for Influenza Vaccine. Investigators from the Baylor College of Medicine began phase 1 clinical trials this week for a topical cream designed to enhance immune response granted by an influenza vaccine.  (Homeland Preparedness News, 9/7/18)

RESEARCH

Acquisition of Delamanid Under a Compassionate Use Program for Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis - United States, 2017. Delamanid, a nitro-imidazole, is a new anti-TB drug developed to address some of the adverse reactions and related adherence difficulties associated with currently available medications for treating drug-resistant TB.  (MMWR, 9/7/18)

RESEARCH

Progress Toward Poliovirus Containment Implementation - Worldwide, 2017-2018. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative continues to make progress toward polio eradication. Only 22 cases from a single serotype (WPV1) were reported in 2017 from Afghanistan and Pakistan, two of the three countries with endemic poliovirus transmission.  (MMWR, 9/7/18)

RESEARCH

Assessment of State, Local, and Territorial Zika Planning and Preparedness Activities - United States, June 2016-July 2017. The quarterly assessment findings provide objective evidence of progress toward meeting Zika planning and preparedness goals among the 53 jurisdictions receiving supplemental funding. As a result, the preparedness plans and strategies to reduce transmission and adverse effects of Zika in these jurisdictions improved compared with those in June 2016.  (MMWR, 9/7/18)

PRESS RELEASE

CDC Guidance to Travelers as Influenza Season Nears. Reports in the news media of airline passengers with influenza are a reminder that the influenza season in the United States is fast approaching, and people who are sick should protect themselves-and others-by not traveling.  (CDC, 9/7/18)

PRESS RELEASE

HHS Awards Nearly $60 million to Support Community Health Centers Impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Today, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded nearly $60 million to 161 community health centers in six southern states and two US territories that were impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.  (HHS.gov, 9/6/18)

BLOG

Rapid Detection Accelerates India's Response to Nipah Outbreak. Early identification of the Nipah pathogen, completed for the first time in India rather than at CDC headquarters, paved the way for state and central governments to respond to the Nipah virus infections more quickly than in previous outbreaks.  (CDC, 9/6/18)

NEWS

California Senators Urge FCC, Mobile Providers to Guarantee Service to First Responders. US Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) are asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) along with leading mobile providers to guarantee service to first responders during emergencies.  (Homeland Preparedness News, 9/10/18)

PRESS RELEASE

FEMA Actively Monitoring, Planning for Hurricane Florence. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its headquarters in Washington, DC, and regional offices in Atlanta, Georgia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as our federal partners, are actively monitoring the continuing track of Hurricane Florence and coordinating closely with state and tribal officials.  (FEMA, 9/7/18)

NEWS

US Forest Service Shares Disaster-Preparedness Know-How with Bolivia. The US Forest Service cooperates with governments and publics around the world-and has a global impact. Take firefighting expert Daniel Montoya, who just returned from Bolivia last month.  (State.gov, 9/7/18)

NEWS

National Preparedness Month - September 2018. Each September, CDC, along with 3,000 global, national, regional, and local governments, as well as private and public health institutions, supports emergency preparedness efforts and encourages US residents to take action before, during, and after an emergency.  (MMWR, 9/7/18)

NEWS

Staying Chill, Even When Disaster Strikes. When most people prepare for a hurricane, they buy food and water. But when scientist Amanda Moors sees one of those big, red, pinwheel-shaped storms appear on the weather map, she buys liquid nitrogen.  (NIST, 9/6/18)

PRESS RELEASE

Puerto Rico One Year after Hurricanes Irma and María. One year after hurricanes Irma and María devastated Puerto Rico, FEMA, its federal partners and the Government of Puerto Rico are undertaking one of the largest post-disaster reconstruction and humanitarian efforts in US history.  (FEMA, 9/6/18)

BLOG

The Power of Preparedness: Prepare Your Health. During Hurricane Irma, existing medical conditions and power outages increased the likelihood of death. Being prepared with supplies and an Emergency Action Plan can help you protect the health of your family until help arrives.  (CDC, 9/4/18)

BLOG

Modernizing the National Disaster Medical System to Meet the Health Security Threats of the 21st Century. In 2017, our nation suffered three back-to-back hurricanes that caused catastrophic damage in Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. That experience highlighted the importance of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) - a federally coordinated system that augments the Nation's medical response capability during times of disasters or public health emergencies.  (ASPR, 9/4/18)

REPORT

Emergency Relief for Disaster-Damaged Roads and Public Transportation Systems. Disaster-damaged roads and public transportation systems are eligible for federal assistance under two US Department of Transportation programs, the Emergency Relief Program administered by the Federal Highway Administration and the Public Transportation ER Program administered by the Federal Transit Administration.  (Congressional Research Service, 8/29/18)

NEWS

DARPA Announces $2 Billion Campaign to Develop Next Wave of AI Technologies. DARPA's multi-year strategy seeks contextual reasoning in AI systems to create more trusting, collaborative partnerships between humans and machines.  (DARPA, 9/7/18)

NEWS

The USGS Is Now Mapping Space To Mine Extraterrestrial Resources. The USGS has begun to seriously map space resources to support both populations here on Earth as well as populations on other planets. This includes understanding the locations and extent of extraterrestrial minerals, metals, and water.  (Forbes, 9/4/18)

This Week's Hearings

Reducing Health Care Costs: Examining How Transparency Can Lower Spending and Empower Patients. US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions. 9/18/18, 10 AM. Dirksen Senate Office Building, 430. More