Preparedness

/Preparedness

Items in the Preparedness category will cover everything from Emergency Medical Services to vaccination programs. This division at ADHS tracks contagious disease, coordinates emergency preparedness activity, licenses EMTs and Paramedics, regulates ambulance companies, authorizes special hospital designations like cardiac care center and Level IV trauma center, issues birth and death certificates, and tracks critical health data through various sources including hospital discharge information.

No Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine This Year

By | June 29th, 2016|Preparedness|

In public health, we know that flu is unpredictably affecting different populations at different times with different strains (remember the drift in 2014). Last week, CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that due to low vaccine effectiveness, the nasal spray flu vaccine not be used this upcoming flu season. Once finalized by CDC, these recommendations will [...]

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Say Adios to Aedes and Ciao to Culex Mosquitoes

By | June 28th, 2016|Preparedness|

Mosquito season is upon us, which means it’s time to find ways to prevent and control mosquitoes around your home. Let’s all mark National Mosquito Control Awareness Week this week by protecting our families and communities from mosquito-borne disease. Arizona is home to more than 40 different types of mosquitoes, including the Culex and Aedes [...]

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Partnering to Improve Surveillance for Disease Prevention

By | June 24th, 2016|Preparedness|

Last week we hosted a two-day workshop on improving surveillance capacity for diseases spread by mosquitoes with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the International Society of Disease Surveillance (ISDS). ISDS's mission of bringing ideas to actions with measurable impact on public health practice, helped our Office of Infectious Disease Services to develop new ways to better inform our response [...]

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Learn the Signs and Symptoms of Heat-Related Illnesses to Stay Safe

By | June 21st, 2016|Preparedness|

The high temperatures over the past few days have resulted in 13 out of 15 Arizona counties to be under an Excessive Heat Warning. Exposure to these temperatures can put you at additional risk for a heat-related illness. Most vulnerable are adults age 65 and older, those who work or exercise outdoors, infants and children, the [...]

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Are You Prepared for Antibiotic Stewardship in Arizona?

By | June 16th, 2016|Preparedness|

Last Saturday our Healthcare-Associated Infections Program and Antimicrobial Stewardship Subcommittee members presented at the 2016 Arizona Pharmacy Association Annual Convention. Their presentation “A National Action Plan to Combat Antibiotic Resistance: Are You Prepared?” was attended by over 200 Arizona pharmacists. Discussions included: Global initiatives to improve the use of antibiotics, including programs in the United States Major elements of the White [...]

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Recycling Land for Healthier Communities

By | June 15th, 2016|Preparedness|

On June 2, our Office of Environmental Health sponsored a Land Recycling and New Tools for Creating Healthier Communities and Economic Growth workshop at the Flinn Foundation in Phoenix. The primary focus of the workshop was on how to improve community health through the reuse or redevelopment of property to reduce exposure to environmental contaminants, increase access to healthy [...]

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As Monsoon Season Starts Take Steps to Keep Your Family Safe

By | June 14th, 2016|Preparedness|

Governor Ducey proclaimed this week (June 12-17) as Monsoon Awareness Week in Arizona. While we haven’t yet been hit by the rain we expect during monsoon, we’re anticipating another summer of severe weather. Monsoons in Arizona can be associated with extreme heat, thunderstorms, dust storms, flash floods and wildfires. For public health, this means revisiting our preparedness plans and [...]

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Smoke-Free Arizona Annual Report Highlight Program Accomplishments

By | June 6th, 2016|Preparedness|

On November 7, 2006, Arizona voters approved Proposition 201, the Smoke-Free Arizona Act. The Act went into effect on May 1, 2007, and prohibited smoking inside and within 20 feet of entrances, open windows, and ventilation systems of most enclosed public places and places of employment in Arizona. Our Smoke-Free Arizona Program’s continued success is highlighted in the 2016 [...]

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It’s Getting Hot in Here!

By | June 3rd, 2016|General, Preparedness, Prevention|

The scorching heat is right around the corner this weekend with heat warnings for nearly all of Arizona (Coconino, Yavapai, Graham, Pima, Cochise, Greenlee, Santa Cruz, Pinal, La Paz, Maricopa, Yuma, and Mohave Counties). Temperatures may reach 108 to 115 °F. High outdoor temperatures aren’t just an inconvenience; they’re dangerous. Year after year, nearly 2,000 [...]

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Measles Outbreak Update; 11 Cases now Confirmed in the State

By | May 31st, 2016|Preparedness|

Since the end of last week, our disease detectives have been working with our local public health departments to investigate an outbreak of measles associated with the private detention center in Eloy.  This weekend we confirmed an additional nine cases of measles in the outbreak, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to eleven- and [...]

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Arizona Department of Health Services

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