THE NEW JERSEY CENTER FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS AT UMDNJ
UMDNJ - SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

NJCPHP News PHlash

JANUARY 14 2006 - JANUARY 31 2006

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S:

I. PREPAREDNESS NEWS
[1] Bird flu: Lancet study cautious over drug-of-choice Tamiflu- AFP(1/18/06)
[2] Cockfighting derby raises fears about spread of avian flu- New York Daily News (1/18/06)
[3] Public health response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita- CDC MMWR(1/20/06)
[4] Three major needs emerge from Katrina- USA Today (1/23/06)
[5] Panelists say regional DHS offices would help disaster response- Global Security Newswire (1/24/06)

II. UPCOMING EVENTS
[1] Pandemic Flu: Global Concerns, Local Planning (2/23/06)
[2] Prevent, Protect, Respond, Recover Conference (3/9/06 and 3/10/06)
[3] New Jersey Emergency Preparedness Conference (5/11/06 and 5/12/06)

III. ANNOUNCEMENTS
[1] APHIS: Safeguarding the US from highly-pathogenic avian influenza
[2] Avian Influenza Response from USAID
[3] The Nursing Center for Bioterrorism and Emerging Infectious Diseases Preparedness- Online Course Offerings

I. PREPAREDNESS NEWS:
[1] Bird flu: Lancet study cautious over drug-of-choice Tamiflu- AFP (1/18/06)
The Lancet published a paper on-line in which medical reviewers warned against over reliance on Tamiflu in preparations for an avian influenza pandemic. They found no evidence that the drug worked against H5N1 avian influenza and fear that the treatment could be of limited use if the the virus were to mutate. The Lancet papers cautions stockpiling the drug and that it should be used alongside other public health measures such as quarantine, hand washing, and the use of face masks as anti-pandemic weapons.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060119/hl_afp/healthflutamiflustudy_0601190007
23

[2] Cockfighting derby raises fears about spread of avian flu- New York Daily News (1/18/06) Dozens of American roosters may appear illegally in an international cockfighting derby in the Philippines, raising fears they may return to the United States carrying the deadly Asian bird flu. Filipino authorities have banned entrants from countries where the H5N1 strain has been detected. But the World Slasher Cup in Manila draws hundreds of roosters from all over the world, and that raises the risk that exotic diseases may spread during the brutal bouts, critics warn. The risk of the H5N1 strain spreading to the United States from Manila is "very small," according to John Clifford, deputy administrator for veterinary services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/nation/13651065.htm

[3] Public health response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita- CDC MMWR (1/20/06) Five studies on the public health responses in Lousiana in the two months after Katrina stuck have been published in the January 20, 2006 issue of the Centers for Disease Control¹s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The report contends that the destruction and loss of life from Hurricane Katrina could have been worse if it hadn¹t been for warnings and evacuations.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/weekcvol.html

[4] Three major needs emerge from Katrina- USA Today (1/23/06)
USA TODAY's Robert Davis outlines three major lessons hospitals could learn from Hurricane Katrina. 1. Better emergency plans and that hospitals must prepare beyond "a plan on paper." 2. Emergency communications and that during Katrina breakdowns left rescuers powerless. 3. Uniform triage standards; a battlefield plan might have cost patients' lives.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-01-23-katrina-lessons_x.htm

[5] Panelists say regional DHS offices would help disaster response- Global Security Newswire (1/24/06) The Homeland Security Department should establish regional offices to better support emergency responders in the event of a major terrorist attack or other catastrophe, experts said Monday. The department has said it intends in this fiscal year to begin developing a regional structure, an idea long championed by former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. Proponents say regional offices would better incorporate state and local officials' needs into the department's plans and would improve coordination of multi-jurisdiction response efforts, which are often ad hoc or uneven.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=33225&dcn=e_gvet

II. UPCOMING EVENTS:

[1] Pandemic Flu: Global Concerns, Local Planning (2/23/06)
Presented by the NJ Health Officers Association, this program will be held at the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ. Topics include: The Importance of Planning a Flu Pandemic Response Locally, Avian Flu: How Real is the Risk ­ Virology, Data & Prognosis, and Medical Reserve Corps: Leveraging Resources in Your Community. Cost: $65 For more information: http://www.njhoa.org/

[2] Prevent, Protect, Respond, Recover Conference (3/9/06 and 3/10/06)
The US Army, Morris County of Health Management, NJSOPHE, Warren County Department of Health, NJ Department of Health and Senior Services, and UMDNJ/CBRNE center present this two-day conference.

[3] New Jersey Emergency Preparedness Conference (5/11/06 and 5/12/06) The New Jersey Emergency Preparedness Association's Annual Conference provides training and coordination and promotes the development of public & private partnerships in planning, response, recovery and mitigation in all types of emergencies. It will be held at the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, NJ. For more information: http://www.njepa.org/

For a complete listing of preparedness training events and educational course offerings, please visit the ASPH Centers for Public Health Preparedness Online Education Calendar at: http://www.asph.org/acphp/educationCalendar.cfm

III. ANNOUNCEMENTS

[1] APHIS: Safeguarding the US from highly-pathogenic avian influenza
The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has released a fact sheet on their actions, plans, and capabilities for addressing the bird flu threat.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_ahhpaiplan.html

[2] Avian Influenza Response from USAID
The US Agency of International Development has a section on their website devoted to avian influenza. USAID is working to ensure an effective and coordinated approach to this economic and public health threat.
http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/home/News/news_items/avian_influ
enza.html

[3] The Nursing Center for Bioterrorism and Emerging Infectious Diseases Preparedness in collaboration with the Rutgers College of Nursing Center for Professional Development present online course offerings for nurses and other public health professionals. Eight different courses are being offered on topics including biological weapons, infection control, and psychosocial care. For more information, including how to register, go to http://nursing.rutgers.edu/cpd or call The Center for Professional Development at (973) 353-5895.

For more information, or to view the NJCPHP News PHlash Archive, please visit us at: www.njcphp.org

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The New Jersey Center for Public Health Preparedness at UMDNJ, UMDNJ-School of Public Health does not claim responsibility for accuracy of facts and information presented. All opinions expressed are those of the original authors and do not represent the views of NJCPHP staff or affiliates.
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