PUBLIC HEALTH ARCHIVES
If & When Needed: The Building of Pandemic Barriers
Patrick P. Rose and Katherine Duncan
May 2, 2012
Infectious diseases such as influenza are invisible, fast-moving, and often extremely lethal. The best and sometimes only way to kill them is to detect them early, stop them before they start to spread, isolate them at the first sign of an outbreak, and have at hand the trained medical professionals,
Healthcare Reform: Major Effects on Hospital Preparedness
Theodore Tully
May 2, 2012
No matter what the Supreme Court decides on the constitutionality of the healthcare reform act, U.S. hospitals must prepare now for major changes in their planning, everyday operations, and both budgetary and personnel resources. Many of those changes may be costly. Most will be time-consuming and/or difficult to implement. But
Protecting First Responders from Biological Agents
Christina Spoons
April 25, 2012
Bio-weapons are the new “hidden dangers” available to terrorist groups seeking to kill and create widespread havoc. They are low in cost, quickly available, difficult to detect, and – if properly designed – extremely lethal. Moreover, first responders are often the most likely victims – but can save themselves, and
Charting New Waters in Biosecurity
Catherine L. Feinman
April 25, 2012
Many businessmen, and homeowners, would quickly buy and read a comprehensive report on how to prevent burglaries. Many burglars would buy and read the same book, but for different reasons. Those who carry out important scientific research face a similar dilemma: They want to help educate their peers, but do
Protecting the U.S. Agriculture and Food Sector
Douglas Meckes
April 18, 2012
The well-known military axiom that an army “travels on its stomach” applies equally to a nation – more so now than ever before, primarily because of the massive increase in the international trade of food and agricultural products that has taken place in recent years. For this reason, the accidental
‘The Bomber Will Always Get Through’ – 80 Years Later, A Prophecy
Loren B. Thompson
April 18, 2012
Not quite 80 years ago, Britain’s de facto prime minister made some shocking comments about military policy before Parliament, and his countrymen. Since then, many “inexpensive” attacks have required “expensive” military defense. Today, the dangers facing the entire world are even greater and the cost, to all nations, of not
An Exercise in Utility: The Role of Public Health
Raphael M. Barishansky and Audrey Mazurek
April 11, 2012
The federal funding streams that improved U.S. preparedness capabilities, at all levels of government, so significantly in the first decade after the 9/11 attacks have already declined, and additional reductions are just over the horizon. But a lack of funds can be overcome, at least in part, by careful planning,
Foodborne Outbreaks in Minnesota: Training and Performance
Kimberley Wetherille and Evan Henke
April 11, 2012
There are almost 50 million foodborne illnesses “of various types” in the United States, and over 3,000 deaths annually. Those are the grim statistics that persuaded the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the FDA, and NACCHO to expand and upgrade programs already in place to detect, control, and
Food Fight – Bioterrorism & Emergency Response Capabilities
Joseph Cahill
April 11, 2012
Infected salad bars and the “improved” technological capabilities of modern-day terrorist groups have combined to make U.S. responders, and the American people, much more cautious about what they eat. Fortunately, that heightened awareness has led to a much closer scrutiny of restaurants, super markets, food-processing plants, and the super-rich diet
Laboratories and First Responders: Collaborating for Effective Response
Maureen Sullivan
April 10, 2012
Each day, events occur that engage personnel from multiple disciplines who are each tasked with the common goal of protecting the nation from all hazards threats. Even though laboratorians, police officers, firefighters, and hazmat technicians wear different uniforms, they all share the common goal of protecting the public and thus
Dual-Use Disasters: Lessons for Preparedness Professionals
Earl Stoddard
April 4, 2012
Actions have consequences – not all of which are intended, or desired. Some military actions, for example, are intended to intimidate another nation – but instead lead to an outright war. The same is true in the fields of medicine and biological research that, while expanding the range of knowledge
Aligning Priorities with Healthcare Coalitions
Andrew R. Roszak
April 3, 2012
Growth in the number and capabilities of the nation’s healthcare coalitions will undoubtedly continue for the foreseeable future – as will the operational capabilities of those coalitions. Helping that growth, and making the coalitions both more capable and more cost-effective, is a new plan (going into effect this summer) to
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