Category: Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR)
AFM is Serious: Know the Symptoms. Act Fast.
Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a serious neurologic condition that causes limb weakness and paralysis. While uncommon, AFM affects mostly children, and can have devastating, long-term effects for patients and their families. There have been three AFM outbreaks in the United States—in 2014, 2016, and 2018. If this biennial pattern continues, another outbreak might occur Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsProbabilities, Not Promises: How Computer Models are Used in Emergency Preparedness & Response
Computer models are not crystal balls. They are the result of a set of variables going through mathematical algorithms. What comes out is a simulation of what might happen if present truths are accurate predictors of future trends. Models show probabilities; they don’t make promises. Models have many applications. Epidemiologists use them to predict disease Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsManaging Asthma During COVID-19
Asthma is a serious, but common lung condition that affects 1 in 13 people, including adults and children. People with moderate to severe asthma might be at a higher risk of getting very sick from Coronavirus (COVID-19). The past six months have proven to be a busy time for our family. We have made our Read More >
Posted on by 9 CommentsPrepare Your Health: Falling Into Asthma
Fall is a busy time. It marks peak hurricane season and the start of cold and flu season. Fall is also one of the busiest months for asthma attacks. Throughout autumn, our home is on high alert because of our children’s history of asthma, and the likelihood of them having an increased number of asthma Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsViral Lessons: What Paralysis Taught Me About Preparedness and Response
Sometime in mid-August of 2010, I was bitten by a mosquito here in Decatur, Georgia. Normally, that’s not something worth mentioning, but in this instance the mosquito that bit me was carrying a virus, and that bite changed my life. The mosquito that bit me was carrying West Nile virus (WNV). Within a few days Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsPrep Your Health: Fighting Cancer During an Emergency
Cancer is not just one disease, but many diseases. There are more than 100 kinds of cancer, including breast cancer. In observance of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this week Public Health Matters looks at how people living with cancer can prepare their health for emergencies. Each year in the United States, more than Read More >
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