Rendered Arizona FlagThis week the Governor signed an Executive Order establishing the Governor’s Council on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response.  The Council consists of 20 public health, health-care, and other multi-sectorial partners, with the ADHS Director as the Chair.  Our task will be to ensure that Arizona is prepared to rapidly and effectively respond to various infectious diseases.

We’ll be developing a plan that will: 1) Include methods for rapidly identifying and assessing cases, protocols for providing healthcare treatment and infection control to prevent healthcare worker infections, and case contact investigations to prevent secondary infections in the community; 2) Identify ways to strengthen collaboration among healthcare organizations, medical communities, government agencies, law enforcement, non-profit organizations, and the community-at-large in order to effectively address infectious disease transmission and treatment; and 3) Serve as a reliable and transparent source of information and education for Arizona leadership and citizens.

We’ll provide a preliminary report to the Governor by December 1, 2014 and continue to report to the Governor on a regular basis as the situation requires.

You can be part of the solution too.  You can reduce your chances of getting sick and spreading illness by immunizing your family against influenza right now.