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Nov. 7, 2024

Are You Struggling with NHSN?

The Georgia Department of Public Health’s Healthcare-Associated Infections Antimicrobial Resistance (HAI AR) Program is here for you. This great team can provide technical assistance for the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).

Future Meetings

See all GHA meetings.

Resources

GHA Coronavirus Information

COVID-19 information and resources.

Ebola

The Department of Public Health (DPH) offers answers to your Ebola questions.

State Epidemiologist

24-hour access to a State Epidemiologist: 1-866-PUB-HLTH.

CDC Information

Visit www.cdc.gov to stay up to date on current information.

Disaster Mental Health

The Georgia Disaster Mental Health website addresses the mental health components of disasters.

Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL) Visit to access behavioral health services.

SAMHSA: Preventing Suicide

Visit the suicide prevention resource page.

NFL Stadiums Will Soon Double as Disaster Shelters

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Football League are partnering to turn stadiums across the country into emergency shelters, temporary hospitals and other venues needed during disasters. The initiative, which came as Florida braced for a major hurricane, and floodwaters from Hurricane Francine soaked Louisiana, aims to better prepare communities for catastrophic events.

Expiration Dating Extension

To help prepare for public health emergencies, medical countermeasures (MCMs) may be stockpiled by governments and even by some private sector partners. For example, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) oversees the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), which has large quantities of medicine and medical supplies to protect the American public if there is a public health emergency severe enough to cause local medical supplies to run out.

Adopting Pediatric Readiness Standards in Emergency Departments Could Save More Than 2,000 Lives Each Year

Widespread adoption of standards designed to improve care for children in U.S. hospital emergency departments could save an estimated 2,143 lives each year, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The standards are published by The National Pediatric Readiness Project, an initiative to empower all emergency departments to provide effective emergency care to children, and encompass training for staff, coordination of health care, and the procedures and medical equipment needed to care for ill and injured children.

NIH Trial of Rectal Microbicide for HIV Prevention Begins in the United States

A clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched to examine the safety and acceptability of a novel rectal HIV microbicide douche containing the antiretroviral drug tenofovir. This “on-demand” HIV prevention approach involves using the microbicide prior to a potential exposure from receptive anal intercourse. Several forms of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are in use in the United States and globally.

Global Model WHO Youth Delegates Urge Swift Action on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response

The World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) and the World Health Organization concluded the first in-person Global Model WHO (GMWHO) today, marking a powerful gathering of over 350 youth delegates from 52 countries from all Regions. Hosted at WHO’s headquarters in Geneva, this landmark event provided young leaders with a realistic simulation of the World Health Assembly.

Pertussis Surveillance and Trends

Reports of pertussis cases were lower than usual over the past few years, during and following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the United States is beginning to return to pre-pandemic patterns where more than 10,000 cases are typically reported each year. It's likely mitigation measures used during the pandemic (e.g., masking, remote learning) lowered transmission of pertussis.

FDA Takes Exciting Steps Toward Establishing the Rare Disease Innovation Hub

This summer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced plans to establish the Rare Disease Innovation Hub (the Hub), and on Nov. 1, they shared more about their progress. The Hub is an FDA cross-center program that will act as the single point of engagement and connection with outside parties for drug and biological product development and as a forum for the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) to collaborate on cross-cutting rare disease-related issues.

Savencia Cheese USA Announces Voluntary Recall of Select Soft Ripened Cheeses

Savencia Cheese USA is recalling select soft ripened cheeses manufactured in their Lena manufacturing facility because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

Dynarex Corporation Expands Recall to Include Additional Products Due to Possible Health Risk

Dynarex Corporation is expanding the recall initiated on Sept. 19, to include an additional 373 cases of item number 4875, Dynacare Baby Powder, 14 oz., as well as 647 cases of item number 4874, Dynacare Baby Powder, 4 oz., because they have the potential to be contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is often found near talc, an ingredient in many cosmetic products. Asbestos, however, is a known carcinogen and its health risks are well-documented.

NEWSLETTERS

CISA Community Bulletin - November 2024

ASPR Health Care Readiness Bulletin - Nov. 4

ASPR HPH Sector Highlights (Cybersecurity) - Nov. 1

ASPR HPH Sector Highlights (Healthcare Supply Chain) - Nov. 1

Georgia Weekly Influenza Report - Week 43

MESH Weekly Situational Awareness Brief - Nov. 1

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report - Oct. 31

News and Notes - Nov. 1

EDUCATION

Emergency Preparedness Systems Training:

Everbridge Training

GHC911 Training

AHEPP Conference

Feb. 24-26, 2025

Governor's Hurricane Conference

May 11-16, 2025

IAEM Annual Conference

Nov. 15-21

National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference

Dec. 10-12

Preparedness Summit

Apr. 29-May 2, 2025

RESOURCES AND REMINDERS

Georgia Hurricane Response Hub

The Georgia Hurricane Response Hub has trainings and resources to help public health and health care professionals with their hurricane and disaster response duties.

Reminder: Identify, Isolate and Inform!

Identify, Isolate and Inform: It is important to continue to ask travel questions. The purpose of this notice is to remind health care providers about actions to take in Georgia when evaluating patients for possible serious communicable diseases!

Travel Clinical Assistant (TCA)

The Travel Clinical Assistant provides post-travel clinical information on travel-related diseases for 231 countries. Diseases with recent outbreaks occurring in the last two years are listed first.