COCA Email Updates: December 31, 2012– January 14, 2013

COCA News and Announcements

Upcoming COCA Call/Webinar:

Stopping Norovirus in its Tracks: What Every Clinician Should Know
Date: Thursday, January 17, 2013
Time: 2:00-3:00 pm (Eastern Time)
Call Number: 888-790-6180
Passcode: 1281914
Webinar Link: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?i=PW7035569&p=1281914&t=c
During this COCA call, a CDC subject matter expert will discuss the burden of norovirus outbreaks, review diagnostics and surveillance tools, and share resources to promote the prevention and control of norovirus infections.

Evaluating and Responding to Chemical Emergencies: The Role of Poison Control Centers and Public Health Labs
Date: Thursday, January 31, 2013
Time: 2:00 - 3:00 pm (Eastern Time)
Call Number: 888-790-6180
Passcode: 1281914
Webinar Link: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?i=PW3729852&p=1281914&t=c
During this COCA call, subject matter experts will discuss biomedical testing for chemical agents, state level poison control center practices, and clinical resources for chemical emergencies.

Recent COCA Call/Webinar:

Additional archived COCA Conference Calls
Free CE credit/contact hours (CME, CNE, ACPE, CEU, CECH, and AAVSB/RACE) are available for most COCA calls.

CDC News and Announcements

CDC Science Clips: Volume 5, Issue: 1 – (CDC)
Each week select science clips are shared with the public health community to enhance awareness of emerging scientific knowledge. The focus is applied public health research and prevention science that has the capacity to improve health now.

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Public Health Preparedness

Public Health Matters Blog: Grand Rounds: People with Disabilities and Public Health – (CDC)
On December 18, 2012, CDC hosted a Public Health Grand Rounds promoting opportunities for the best quality of life for individuals with disabilities.

Emergency Preparedness and Response – (CDC)
Find resources for All Hazards and Specific Hazards preparedness.

Emergency Preparedness and Response Training Resources for Clinicians – (CDC)
A resource for scheduled and on-demand emergency preparedness and response trainings offered by federal agencies and COCA partners.

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Natural Disasters and Severe Weather

Extreme Cold: A Prevention Guide to Promote Your Personal Health and Safety – (CDC)
The Extreme Cold Prevention Guide combines all of the key content of the CDC Winter Weather website into one downloadable, printable file. Printing this PDF file will ensure that you will have important winter weather health and safety information available even when you're without power or Internet service.

Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning After an Emergency – (CDC)
When power outages occur during emergencies such as hurricanes or winter storms, the use of alternative sources of fuel or electricity for heating, cooling, or cooking can cause Carbon Monoxide to build up in a home, garage, or camper and to poison the people and animals inside.

Health and Safety Concerns for All Disasters – (CDC)

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Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Journal

EID is prepared by the CDC. EID Home Page
Volume 19, Number 1 – January 2013
Highlights in this issue include:

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Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

MMWR publications are prepared by the CDC. Electronically subscribe.

January 11, 2013 / Vol. 62 / No. 1 Download .pdf document of this issue

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Infectious, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

NEW: CDC Media Advisory: CDC Update: Flu Season and Vaccine Effectiveness – January 11 (CDC)
CDC hosted a telephone-only media availability to provide an update on influenza in the United States and to provide update on effectiveness of the influenza vaccine for 2012-2013 season.
A transcript of this media will be available following the briefing at the CDC web site.

Weekly Flu View – January 11 (CDC)
This is a weekly influenza surveillance report prepared by CDC Influenza Division. All data are preliminary and may change as CDC receives more reports.

Planning and Preparedness: Health Professionals and Seasonal Flu – (HHS)
Health care providers play an important role during flu season. The following guidance and information will assist health care providers and service organizations to plan and respond to seasonal flu.

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Travel Safety

Current Travel Warnings – January 11 (US Department of State)
Travel Warnings are issued when long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable lead the State Department to recommend that Americans avoid or consider the risk of travel to that country. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff.

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Food, Drug and Device Safety

NEW: FDA proposes new food safety standards for foodborne illness prevention and produce safety – January 4 (FDA)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today proposed two new food safety rules that will help prevent foodborne illness. The proposed rules implement the landmark, bipartisan FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

Multistate Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Investigation: Clinician Guidance – (CDC)

MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program – (HHS/USFDA)
Your FDA gateway for clinically important safety information and reporting serious problems with human medical products.

FoodSafety.gov Reports FDA and USDA Food Recalls, Alerts, Reporting & Resources – (HHS/UDSA/FDA/CDC/NIH)
For recalls and alerts by both FDA and USDA, or to report a problem or make inquiries.

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The CDC and HHS logos are the exclusive property of the Department of Health and Human Services and may not be used for any purpose without prior express written permission. Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organizations.