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March 25-28: National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Preparedness Summit
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National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC) Releases Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Annual Report |
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NETEC's FY 2023 Annual Report encapsulates NETEC's unwavering commitment to enhancing special pathogen preparedness, fostering international collaboration, and supporting safe and equitable patient care delivery.
Access the full NETEC FY 2023 Annual Report. |
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Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) March Office Hours Session - SNS Field Staff Program |
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The next SNS monthly Office Hours Session will be held on Wednesday, March 20 from 4:00 - 5:00 PM ET and will focus on the new SNS field staff program. During this session, the SNS Office of State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Preparedness will provide an overview of the program and answer participant questions. To ensure maximum benefit from this session, participants are strongly encouraged to submit questions in advance to sns-sltt@hhs.gov
(Subject Heading: SNS Office Hours- SNS Field Staff Program) by Friday, March 12.
Participants should register here for the March SNS Office Hours. Within 72 hours of registering, please look for a message from no-reply@zoomgov.com
. This message will contain an invite that you can easily add to your calendar. For questions, email sns-sltt@hhs.gov. |
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Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) Recipients |
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Medical Response and Surge Exercise (MRSE) Update |
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The MRSE Support Team has resumed hosting monthly office hours to provide technical assistance and discuss any questions about MRSE planning, executing, and reporting. March office hours have not been announced.
As a gentle reminder, we are currently halfway through the fiscal year (FY), and FY 2023 MRSE planning should be well underway. We highly encourage HPP recipients and health care coalitions (HCCs) to assist one another with planning and executing their exercise. The MRSE Support Team and project officers are available to assist with MRSE planning, execution, and Exercise Reporting Tool reviews.
We will be releasing a MRSE Recipient Review Guide to aid recipients in their final review of MRSE Tools before HCC submission to the Coalition Assessment Tool. The guide will be published on the MRSE web page in the coming weeks.
Please submit any questions to your project officer or the MRSE mailbox. You may also request a one-on-one session with the MRSE Support Team by emailing the MRSE mailbox.
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To access the MRSE Situation Manual, Evaluation Plan, Fact Sheet, and Frequently Asked Questions, please visit the MRSE web page on the ASPR website
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To access and submit the MRSE Exercise Planning and Evaluation Tool and the Real-World Incident Reporting and Evaluation Tool, please visit the Coalition Assessment Tool
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HHS/ASPR Project ECHO Clinical Readiness Rounds |
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The HHS/ASPR Project ECHO Clinical Readiness Rounds focus on sharing clinical challenges and successes in preparing for and responding to disasters from all threats. This program is designed to create peer-to-peer learning networks where clinicians who have more experience treating patients in emergency situations share their challenges and successes with clinicians across the U.S. and around the world with less experience in these situations. Topics for sessions are based on new and emergent information around emergency preparedness, as well as topics requested by participants.
Sessions occur every other Tuesday from 12:00 - 1:00 PM ET. The next session is March 19 and is entitled "Transfers from Strained Hospitals: New Findings from the National Institute of Health (NIH)" featuring Kadri Rodriquez and Sadia Sarzynski. |
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Did you miss a recent HHS/ASPR Project ECHO Clinical Readiness Rounds session? Recordings of all sessions are available online for access any time on the
iECHO portal. Click the "content" tab on the Clinical Readiness Rounds page to listen or download video recordings. |
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Upcoming Trainings and Webinars |
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Event Details |
NACCHO |
Local Public Health Preparedness Landscape: Findings from the 2022 Preparedness Profile
Join this webinar to see findings from a new study on preparedness conducted by NACCHO. Hear from local health department preparedness professionals as they share perspectives on the study’s relevance and application in their communities. |
Tuesday, March 12
3:00 - 4:00 PM ET
Registration Information |
NACCHO |
Local Health Department Perspectives on Essential Skills
Cardea Services and local health department representatives will be joining to reflect on how NACCHO's Essential Skills trainings have impacted infection prevention and control (IPC) work on the local level, what barriers still exist, and what improvements could be made. |
Wednesday, March 13
12:00 - 1:00 PM ET
Registration Information |
NACCHO |
Understanding Your Community's Narrative Voice
Join the webinar to learn how focus groups, key partner interviews, and Artificial Intelligence can help you better collect and analyze data to advance health equity. |
Wednesday, March 13
1:00 - 2:00 PM ET
Registration Information |
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) |
Emerging Technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Public Health
Presenters will discuss modern information technology while addressing crucial AI security concerns in a public health setting. |
Wednesday, March 13
1:00 - 2:00 PM ET
Connection Information |
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) |
Disease Forecasting Learning Series, Disease Forecasting Basics Part 1
ASTHO will hold four, one-hour learning sessions to provide state and territorial public health staff a basic understanding of disease forecasting. |
Thursday, March 14
4:00 - 5:00 PM ET
Connection Information |
NETEC |
2024 Joint Commission Standards for Infection Control
Join NETEC for an exploration of the new infection control requirements established by the Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. |
Friday, March 15
1:00 - 2:00 PM ET
Registration Information |
NACCHO |
Accurate, Fast, and Simple Wastewater Tests for SARS-CoV-2 and Beyond
The implementation of user-friendly and swift testing systems for wastewater monitoring could facilitate more frequent sampling and a rapid delivery of results. |
Wednesday, March 20
2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
Registration Information |
Emory University Serious Communicable Diseases ECHO Program |
The Clinical Presentation of Mpox
Join Dr. Gavin Harris to understand the current domestic and global Mpox epidemiological state. |
Thursday, March 21
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET
Registration Information |
NETEC |
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from A to Z: Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) for Respiratory Protection
Panelists will discuss the role of multiple types of PAPRs in protecting health care workers, what health care workers should know about the use and maintenance of PAPRs, and how they fit into a health care respiratory protection program. |
Friday, March 22
12:00 - 1:00 PM ET
Registration Information |
NACCHO |
Preparedness Summit
The Summit will provide an opportunity for sectors to come together, align missions, and discover better ways to work as true partners to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. |
March 25 - 28
Cleveland, Ohio
Registration Information |
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UMTB) Special Pathogens Excellence in Clinical Treatment, Readiness, and Education (SPECTRE) |
Tropical and Emerging Infectious Diseases for Clinicians and Translational Scientists
Join UTMB SPECTRE for a symposium on tropical and emerging infectious diseases for the clinician and translational investigator. The symposium will feature expert-led interactive sessions and tours of UTMB's high-containment Galveston National Lab and Biocontainment Unit. |
April 9 - 12
Galveston, Texas
Registration Information |
Cedars-Sinai Health System |
2024 Cedars-Sinai Special Pathogens Symposium
The intent of the special pathogens symposium is to provide education regarding hospital preparedness for high-consequence infectious diseases to health care professionals in HHS Region 9 frontline, assessment and treatment facilities. |
Monday, April 29
Los Angeles, California
Registration Information |
Public Health Law Practitioners |
Empowering Public Health Through Law and Policy
This event will provide professionals from state, local, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions with firsthand knowledge from fellow public health leaders, attorneys, policy professionals, and practitioners on how to positively impact their community’s health and well-being. |
April 30 - May 2
New Orleans, Louisiana
Registration Information |
NACCHO |
Health Care IPC Summit
The Summit provides participants the opportunity to connect, share valuable insights, and explore innovative approaches between public health, health care, and community partner networks to advance the implementation of IPC in healthcare settings. |
May 7 - 9
Chicago, Illinois
Conference Information | |
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ASPR Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE) Resource Spotlight: Hospital Crisis Standards of Care Resource Allocation Annex Template
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This template
can help hospital emergency managers and medical directors develop an annex to their Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) that complements existing surge capacity plans. It includes specific decision processes for allocation of resources and the triage of patients for the provision of critical care when shortages of equipment or therapeutics pose a significant risk to patient outcomes. |
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NETEC Resource Spotlight: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Procedural Giudelines for Special Pathogens |
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NETEC has developed a new set of model procedural guidelines that can assist EMS agencies in the development of standard operating procedures for the transport and management of patients suspected or confirmed to have a high-consequence infectious disease (HCID). By providing a structured framework for response, these guidelines will enhance your agency’s preparedness to manage HCID patient encounters, improving personnel safety and safeguarding public health.
Read the full EMS model procedural guidelines for special pathogens from NETEC. |
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ASPR Deputy Assistant Secretary Brian Mazanec Speaks About Cybersecurity Across the Health Sector |
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Between constant ransomware and medical device software scares, the health care sector has become a scary place for cybersecurity. Now HHS is asking organizations in the health care sector to adopt what it calls “high-impact cybersecurity practices.” For details, the Federal Drive with Tom
spoke with Brian Mazanec, HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director of the Office of Security, Intelligence, and Information Management.
Listen to the full podcast episode from the Federal Drive with Tom. |
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HHS: Letter to Health Care Leaders on Cyberattack on Change Healthcare |
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In a situation such as this, the government and private sector must work together to help providers make payroll and deliver timely care to the American people. The Biden-Harris Administration has taken action by removing challenges for health care providers and addressing this cyberattack head on. Now, we are asking private sector leaders across the health care industry – especially other payers – to meet the moment.
Read the full letter from HHS. |
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Region 2 Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC) at New York City Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Releases Annual Report |
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In addition to leading coordination and resource-sharing efforts throughout the region, the Region 2 RESPTC has the capability and capacity to care for patients suspected of or infected by a special pathogen. As New York City’s flagship safety net hospital, Bellevue is uniquely positioned to provide high-quality care for patients that need it the most – preserving the basic tenets of patient-centered, equitable care.
Read the newly released annual report from the Region 2 RESPTC.
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CDC Updates and Simplifies Respiratory Virus Recommendations |
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On March 1, CDC released updated recommendations
for how people can protect themselves and their communities from respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. The new guidance brings a unified approach to addressing risks from a range of common respiratory viral illnesses, such as COVID-19, flu, and Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which can cause significant health impacts and strain on hospitals and health care workers. As part of the guidance, CDC provides active recommendations on core prevention steps and strategies and additional considerations
for people who are at higher risk of severe illness from respiratory viruses, including older adults, young children, people with compromised immune systems, people with disabilities, and pregnant people. |
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Updated Guidance Available on Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines |
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CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recently approved an additional dose of 2023-2024 Formula COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 65 years and older. CDC’s updated guidance for COVID-19 vaccination now recommends that all people ages 65 years and older receive one additional dose of any updated (2023-2024 formula) COVID-19 vaccine (i.e., Moderna, Novavax, Pfizer-BioNTech). For detailed guidance, see Table 1 and Table 2
. The guidance also includes updated information for reporting adverse events to VAERS following administration of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Learn more at ACIP Vaccine Recommendations and Schedules. To view all updates, visit CDC’s Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States. |
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New CDC Report Highlights Effectiveness of Updates 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccines |
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A new CDC report
finds that the updated 2023-2024 Formula COVID-19 vaccines cut the risk in half for visiting the emergency department, urgent care center, or being hospitalized with COVID-19 for most people. Everyone six months and older should get an updated COVID-19 vaccine, especially those ages 65 years or older and people with medical conditions that make them more likely to get very sick with COVID-19, such as weakened immune systems. Learn more about how to Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines. |
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Under Project BioShield Contract, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) Procures Additional Doses of Antibiotic NUZYRA from Paratek Pharmaceuticals |
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As part of ongoing national preparedness against known and emerging national security threats, BARDA will use its authority under Project BioShield to procure additional doses of NUZYRA (omadacycline) from Paratek Pharmaceuticals of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
Read the full press release from BARDA.
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New HHS Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Rule Helps Child Support Programs Durig States of Emergency |
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“Natural disasters are an increasing fact of life and our programs must be flexible and adapt in the face of emergencies,” said ACF Acting Assistant Secretary Jeff Hild. “This rule will help ensure child support programs have the funding to help families when they need it the most in the aftermath of disasters.”
Read the full press release from ACF.
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American Medical Association (AMA): How These Heath Systems are Reducing Physician Burnout |
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The national rate of physician burnout has fallen from the record-high levels seen during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet with half of physicians still experiencing symptoms of burnout, it is evident that more needs to be done to enhance professional satisfaction and well-being. Some forward-looking health systems are rising to the challenge.
Read the full article from AMA. |
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NACCHO: Essential Skills Training Series, Virtual and In-Person Opportunities for Local Health Department (LHD) Staff |
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NACCHO is proud to partner with Project Firstline, a collaborative from the CDC
. Project Firstline strives to equip public health professionals and frontline health care workers with infection control principles and protocols. As a partner of Project Firstline, NACCHO supports these efforts to improve LHDs’ infection prevention and control IPC knowledge and practice so that they can effectively partner with health care facilities in their jurisdiction.
Read the full press release from NACCHO.
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Health Sector Coordinating Council Publishes Health Industry Cybersecurity Strategic Plan |
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ASTHO Issues Statement in Response to U.S. Measles Outbreak |
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Additional Guidance, Tools, and Reports |
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CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports |
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Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 8
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Prevalence of Self-Reported Hypertension and Antihypertensive Medication Use Among Adults — United States, 2017–2021
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Years of Potential Life Lost and Mean Age of Adults Experiencing Nontraumatic, Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests — Chicago, 2014–2021
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Racial and Ethnic Differences in Social Determinants of Health and Health- Related Social Needs Among Adults — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2022
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Early Estimate of Nirsevimab Effectiveness for Prevention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus–Associated Hospitalization Among Infants Entering Their First Respiratory Syncytial Virus Season — New Vaccine Surveillance Network, October 2023–February 2024
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Notes from the Field: Emergency Department Visits for Unsupervised Pediatric Melatonin Ingestion — United States, 2019–2022
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Interim Estimates of 2023–24 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness — United States
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Interim Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Against Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza — California, October 2023–January 2024
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Interim Effectiveness of Updated 2023–2024 (Monovalent XBB.1.5) COVID-19 Vaccines Against COVID-19–Associated Emergency Department and Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalization Among Immunocompetent Adults Aged ≥18 Years — VISION and IVY Networks, September 2023–January 2024
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We Want to Hear from You!
ASPR wants to hear how your organization and/or sub-recipients are making an impact in your communities. We will use your stories to demonstrate the importance of investing in emergency preparedness and response in some of our policy and budgetary documents.
Share your organization's experience in emergency preparedness, response, or recovery by answering a few questions on our Story From the Field Submission Form.
Our team will contact you for more information, as needed, and you may see your story published on the Health Care Readiness in Action: Stories from the Field webpage. Thank you in advance for sharing! |
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Note: ASPR provides the above sources of information for the convenience of the ASPR Health Care Readiness community and is not responsible for the availability or content of the information or tools provided, nor does ASPR endorse, warrant or guarantee the products, services or information described or offered. It is the responsibility of the user to determine the usefulness and applicability of the information provided. |
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