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May 4, 2023

Hospital Net Reminder for Ham Radio Operators

This month’s Georgia Hospital Net will be conducted this Sunday, May 7. All operators are encouraged to participate.

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.

GHA Welcomes New Coalition Funds Coordinator

Jamie Falberg has joined GHA as the healthcare coalition funds coordinator.  Jamie will assist Tammie Jensen in managing the coalition funds for the Healthcare Preparedness Program (HPP) grant. Jamie may be reached at jfalberg@gha.org or 770-249-4521.

Georgia Project Firstline

Struggling with dialysis infection prevention education? Reach out to your region’s Infection Prevention and Control Education Expert (IPCEE) and learn about free Project Firstline education resources designed for dialysis.

Medical Students’ Music Video Takes Top Place in National Contest

A video made by three students at the Medical College of Georgia honoring COVID-19 frontline workers is the first-place winner in a national contest for videos produced by health professions students across the country.

National Hurricane Preparedness Week

The 2023 National Hurricane Preparedness Week will take place from Sunday, April 30 to Saturday, May 6. This year brings brand new daily themes and graphics, developed with input from the National Hurricane Center.

FDA Authorizes 4th Pfizer COVID-19 Bivalent Dose for Certain Children Under 5

The Food and Drug Administration Friday authorized a fourth Pfizer COVID-19 bivalent vaccine dose at least one month after the third dose for certain immunocompromised children aged six months through 4, and additional doses at the discretion of their health care provider. 

Region IV Special Pathogens Training Course, Friday, June 9, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The Serious Communicable Diseases Program (SCDP) at Emory will host two training sessions for health care workers in Georgia:

• The EMS Biosafety Transport Course is designed for EMS providers of all types, but any health care personnel who are at risk of exposure to patients with a high-consequence infectious disease are welcome to attend. Course participants will learn how to identify high-consequence infectious diseases; what infection prevention and control precautions are needed to care for suspect patients; how to reduce risk through environmental controls; and more.

• The Frontline Hospitals Course was developed for medical and nursing staff, emergency management, education and training leaders, and infection prevention staff. Enhance your readiness to safely identify and isolate a patient with a suspected or confirmed special pathogen and inform appropriate officials while providing necessary patient care.  

Some Critical Drugs Have Been in Shortage for More Than 8 Years

At least 20 critical drugs have been intermittently in shortage since 2015, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) database. All but three of these drugs are also on the Resilient Drug Supply Project's (RDSP's) Critical Acute and COVID-19 Drug List. The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) drug shortage database includes some, but not all, of the drugs as being in shortage.

How to Improve Emergency Preparedness at Your Senior Care Facility: Lessons from the 2021 Texas Blackout

In February 2021, a statewide blackout in Texas left millions without power during an arctic blast of sub-freezing temperatures. The blackout starkly highlighted the vulnerability of long-term care facilities during such an emergency. 

Innovating Virus Care for Pediatric Patients

Hospitals across the country have found innovative ways to increase their capacity, improve care and take care of health care workers while treating COVID-19 patients throughout this pandemic. 

NEWSLETTERS

ASPR TRACIE The Express - April 2023

CISA Community Bulletin - April 2023

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Daily Digest Bulletin - April 2023

Georgia Weekly Influenza Report - Week 16

HHS Office of IEA COVID-19 Update - May 4

Keystone Health Preparedness Digest - May 2

MESH Weekly Situational Awareness Brief - April 28

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report - April 28

News & Notes - April 28

EDUCATION

Emergency Preparedness Systems Training:

Everbridge Training

GHC911 Training

June

2023 Georgia School Safety and Homeland Security Conference

June 19-21

Joint Commission Emergency Management Conference

June 20-22

RESOURCES AND REMINDERS

Public Health Emergency to End May 11

President Biden stated that his administration will end the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on May 11. The White House said the announcement aligns with its commitment to give at least 60 days notice prior to ending the PHE, the end of which means the expiration of waivers affecting nursing homes, home and community-based services, pharmacies, and telehealth prescribers of opioid-use disorder medication, among others. Additionally, FEMA announced that all COVID-19 disaster declaration incident periods will close May 11.

Donations to Assist Ukraine and its Refugees

The U.S. Ukraine Foundation is a 30-year-old organization that supports the people of Ukraine in their quest for freedom, democracy, a free-market economy, and human rights. The U.S. Ukraine Foundation has established a fund to provide financial support for humanitarian efforts, including covering the costs of sending medical supplies to Ukraine. The fund also supports refugees through the Kyiv Rotary Refugee Initiative.

In addition, the U.S. Ukraine Foundation is coordinating the distribution of donated medical supplies through its operation “Ukraine AirLIFT.” If you are interested in donating medical supplies, please contact the AFYA Foundation, which is partnering with the U.S. Ukraine Foundation in this effort.

For more information, please contact Nadia McConnell, president of the U.S. Ukraine Foundation, at nadia@usukraine.org or 202-468-6614.

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.

ONLINE PREPAREDNESS TOOLS and

TIPS & TRICKS

GHA911

Go to the GHA911 homepage.

WebEOC

Add your facility to WebEOC.

Everbridge

Sign up for an Everbridge account

Accessing Tech Support

Mallory Garrett is GHA's Emergency Preparedness Communications Manager. Contact her at mgarrett@gha.org, 770-249-4532 (office) or 706-934-0711 (cell).

If you need to reach GHA for a Disaster/Emergency Preparedness-related issue after hours, please contact Adrianne Feinberg, 678-427-2979 or Mallory Garrett, 706-934-0711.

The Disaster Readiness Line Newsletter is circulated by Georgia's Healthcare Coalitions to our emergency preparedness partners.

Georgia Hospital Association

380 Interstate North Parkway SE

Suite 150

Atlanta, GA 30339

770-249-4500

www.gha.org

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