Please submit your events  by mid-November to the December, 2009 edition of EP Monthly through
the following online form. We would love to share our resources and opportunities
with the growing New England EP Monthly community.

Trainings/Exercises:

User name: Elder
Password: Elder
***Please note, the above user name and password are case-sensitive****
Certificates of completion will be sent via us mail 4-6 weeks from time of course completion.
Contact: Rubim Rwakabuba, 617-384-9696

 News/Resources:

Maine Falls Short in Evaluation of Pandemic Preparedness
Reported By: Josie Huang
Maine Public Broadcasting Network
Overview: "Federal investigators are faulting Maine and the four other states it studied for not being better prepared for a flu pandemic, like the H1N1 pandemic upon us. Reports released today by the Office of Inspector General in the Department of Health and Human Services found deficiencies in how states are dealing with flu vaccine distribution, and for the expected patient surge in hospitals. But Maine's top public health official says that investigators are relying on year-old information that doesn't tell the full story."

Research:

Role of the primary care safety net in pandemic influenza
Rust G, Melbourne M, Truman BI, Daniels E, Fry-Johnson Y, Curtin T.
American Journal of Public Health Supplement 2, 2009, Vol 99, No. S2
Overview: An influenza pandemic would have a disproportionately adverse impact on minority populations, the poor, the uninsured, and those living in underserved communities. Primary care practices serving the underserved would face special challenges in an influenza pandemic. Although not a formalized system, components of the primary care safety net include federally qualified health centers, public hospital clinics, volunteer or free clinics, and some local public health units. In the event of an influenza pandemic, the primary care safety net is needed to treat vulnerable populations and to provide health care surge capacity to prevent the overwhelming of hospital emergency departments. We examined the strength, capacity, and preparedness of key components of the primary care safety net in responding to pandemic influenza.

Pandemic influenza preparedness and response among public-housing residents, single-parent families, and low-income populations.
Bouye K, Truman BI, Hutchins S, Richard R, Brown C, Guillory JA, Rashid J.
American Journal of Public Health Supplement 2, 2009, Vol 99, No. S2
Overview: During the early stages of an influenza pandemic, a pandemic vaccine likely will not be available. Therefore, interventions to mitigate pandemic influenza transmission in communities will be an important component of the response to a pandemic. Public-housing residents, single-parent families, and low-income populations may have difficulty complying with community-wide interventions. To enable compliance with community interventions, stakeholders recommended the following: (1) community mobilization and partnerships, (2) culturally specific emergency communications planning, (3) culturally specific education and training programs, (4) evidence-based measurement and evaluation efforts, (5) strategic planning policies, (6) inclusion of community members as partners, and (7) policy and program changes to minimize morbidity and mortality.

Conference:

International Swine Flu Conference Canada

Date: Monday, November 23, 2009 - Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Location: Marriott Toronto Airport Hotel, 901 Dixon Road, Toronto, Ontario M9W 1J5, Canada
Overview: "The International Swine Flu Conference will focus on the response to the first pandemic in the age of globalization and prepare for a potential second wave of H1N1 virus. Top leaders and key decision-makers of major companies representing a broad range of industries will meet with distinguished scientists, public health officials, law enforcers, first responders, and other experts to discuss pandemic prevention, preparedness, response and recovery at the 1st International Swine Flu Conference."