We hosted a Zika Action Plan Workshop and Tabletop Exercise on June 20 as part of our Zika preparedness series that began with the Zika Action Plan Summit in May 2016. Approximately 80 partners representing more than 25 local, tribal, and state organizations attended the latest workshop. The workshop events included an overview of Zika virus, which highlighted the new information that has been learned in the past year, a summary of public health actions that should take place if local transmission occurs.

The Maricopa County Department of Public Health and Maricopa County Environmental Services Department gave a presentation on current Zika virus surveillance and vector control efforts in Maricopa County. In addition to talks from partners within Arizona, the workshop included a presentation from Cameron County Department of Health and Human Services. Cameron County was able to discuss their real-world experience and response strategies when local transmission of Zika virus was identified in Brownsville, Texas.

Partners took part in a tabletop exercise that included a Zika virus on the border scenario and a local transmission scenario. The exercise allowed partners to think through how their response plan could be activated to address the epidemiology, vector surveillance and control, and messaging that would need to occur to keep Arizonans safe during such events. The tabletop also served as a way to identify any gaps in current response plans.

ADHS would like to thank the numerous tribal, county, and state partners who took time to make the workshop a success. ADHS would also like to extend a special thanks to Cameron County for coming out to share their valuable experiences. These collaborative exercises provide a vital opportunity to evaluate and update response plans to ensure that public health is prepared in the event that Zika virus lands in Arizona.