The National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is a national awareness week focused on highlighting the importance of influenza vaccination. As flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread this season, getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever. Here are five reasons why you should: 1. Helps Keep You Healthy Flu can cause signs and symptoms; such as fever, cough, and body aches, that can keep a healthy person home from work, school, and errands for a few days to a week or more. The best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated every year. Flu vaccination helps prev ..read more

The National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is a national awareness week focused on highlighting the importance of influenza vaccination. As flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread this season, getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever. Here are five reasons why you should: 1. Helps Keep You Healthy Flu can cause signs and symptoms; such as fever, cough, and body aches, that can keep a healthy person home from work, school, and errands for a few days to a week or more. The best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated every year. Flu vaccination helps prev ..read more

Computer models are not crystal balls. They are the result of a set of variables going through mathematical algorithms. What comes out is a simulation of what might happen if present truths are accurate predictors of future trends. Models show probabilities; they don’t make promises. Models have many applications. Epidemiologists use them to predict disease outbreaks. Logisticians use them to estimate supply and demand. Meteorologists use them to forecast the path of severe weather. In most cases, models help officials make informed decisions, including those that affect emergency preparednes ..read more

Computer models are not crystal balls. They are the result of a set of variables going through mathematical algorithms. What comes out is a simulation of what might happen if present truths are accurate predictors of future trends. Models show probabilities; they don’t make promises. Models have many applications. Epidemiologists use them to predict disease outbreaks. Logisticians use them to estimate supply and demand. Meteorologists use them to forecast the path of severe weather. In most cases, models help officials make informed decisions, including those that affect emergency preparednes ..read more

“It’s the least-fun, viral time of the year…” The indicators that CDC uses to track U.S. flu activity have been high this season (2019-2020). That’s the bad news. The good news is that the indicators that track severity–hospitalizations and deaths–are not high at this point (January 2020) in the season. Lots of people are catching flu, but, thus far, most cases haven’t been life-threatening. The flu can be scary, but there are ways that you can practice personal health preparedness before and during flu season. Here are some ways to prepare and protect your family from flu: 1.  &nbs ..read more

“It’s the least-fun, viral time of the year…” The indicators that CDC uses to track U.S. flu activity have been high this season (2019-2020). That’s the bad news. The good news is that the indicators that track severity–hospitalizations and deaths–are not high at this point (January 2020) in the season. Lots of people are catching flu, but, thus far, most cases haven’t been life-threatening. The flu can be scary, but there are ways that you can practice personal health preparedness before and during flu season. Here are some ways to prepare and protect your family from flu: 1.  &nbs ..read more

As coincidence would have it, Dr. Stephen Redd was wrapping up an influenza (flu) pandemic planning meeting on April 15, 2009, when someone on the phone reported that a new (or novel) influenza A virus had infected a 10-year-old boy in California. Things moved fast after that. The Response Stephen C. Redd, MD, RADM Two days after CDC confirmed the first case, laboratory testing confirmed a second infection with the same virus in another patient. CDC worked closely with state and local public health officials to investigate reported cases and to detect additional cases of human illness with th ..read more

As coincidence would have it, Dr. Stephen Redd was wrapping up an influenza (flu) pandemic planning meeting on April 15, 2009, when someone on the phone reported that a new (or novel) influenza A virus had infected a 10-year-old boy in California. Things moved fast after that. The Response Stephen C. Redd, MD, RADM Two days after CDC confirmed the first case, laboratory testing confirmed a second infection with the same virus in another patient. CDC worked closely with state and local public health officials to investigate reported cases and to detect additional cases of human illness with th ..read more

Public health emergencies occur every day across the United States. Tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, infectious disease outbreaks, terrorist attacks, and other emergencies have all occurred within the past few years and likely will happen again. Communities must be ready in the event of a public health emergency – both those they expect and those that come without warning. Since 2002, CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program has provided funding and guidance to 50 states, four cities, and eight territorial health departments across the nation to protect communities ..read more

Public health emergencies occur every day across the United States. Tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, infectious disease outbreaks, terrorist attacks, and other emergencies have all occurred within the past few years and likely will happen again. Communities must be ready in the event of a public health emergency – both those they expect and those that come without warning. Since 2002, CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program has provided funding and guidance to 50 states, four cities, and eight territorial health departments across the nation to protect communities ..read more