State, Federal and Health Resources

Small Pox Related Links:

Small Pox Fact Sheet: Smallpox Overview
www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/overview/disease-facts.asp

Small Pox Fact Sheet: Vaccine Overview
www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/vaccination/facts.asp

Small Pox Fact Sheet: Caring for the Smallpox Vaccination Site
www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/vaccination/site-care-pub.asp

Someone You Are Close to Is Getting the Vaccine: What You Should Know and Do
www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/vaccination/close-contacts.asp

Webcast: “Smallpox: What Every Clinician Should Know
www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/training/webcast/dec2002/
Please note that you can also order a free video copy of this broadcast by calling the Public Health Foundation at 1 (877) 252-1200, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, or by e-mailing info@phf.org. When emailing a request for a videotape, please indicate “Smallpox: What Every Clinician Should Know” in the subject line.

Referral of Military Personnel with Possible Adverse Events to Hospital Services
See Vaccinia (Smallpox) Vaccine: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR 2001: 50(No.RR-10): 1-25 at www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5010a1.htm). If hospital emergency departments require assistance, contact the state’s epidemiologist on-call 24/7 at (617) 983-6200.

State Agencies:

Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC)
Includes a “Bioterrorism Update” section if events are reported in the city. Also includes advisories for clinicians. http://www.bphc.org/Pages/Home.aspx

Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Web Site (DPH)
Contains FAQ on anthrax, clinical guidance adoptedfrom CDC information for local health departments, health care providers, and laboratories.
http://www.mass.gov/dph/topics/bioterrorism/bt.htm

Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)
Click here for downloadable Terrorism Incident Plans and Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, among other items.

Federal Agencies:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Comprehensive clinical guidance on the management of exposures and possible exposures and the laboratory protocol related to the diagnosis of infection for Bacillus anthracis.
http://www.bt.cdc.gov

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
http://www.dhs.gov

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
News on disaster assistance from the federal government.
http://www.fema.gov/

The Army Corps of Engineers
Has issued a draft guidance on continuous air filtering systems to protect buildings and their occupants from imperceptible airborne hazards. Some of the protective measures are practical only for new construction, but others are suitable to retrofit existing buildings. The guidance says some key security measures include high-efficiency filters for removing gases and aerosols from air; physical security presence; and sheltering, evacuation, and protective masks. http://www.ashe.org, and click "Must See.”

Health Organizations and Others:

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)
Hospitals can take advantage of Bioterrorism Readiness Plan: A Template for Healthcare Facilities, which is an online resource from APIC. It outlines the steps necessary for responding to the biological agents most likely to be employed in any future biological attack: smallpox, botulism toxin, anthrax, and plague. The plan provides information on the unique characteristics, specific recommendations, management, and follow-up appropriate for each of these biological agents.
www.apic.org

American Hospital Association (AHA)
AHA’s “Disaster Readiness/Readiness Resources” contains a wealth of information, including periodic readiness bulletins.
www.aha.org

American Red Cross (ARC)
Information on blood donations and disaster relief. Regional Red Cross site (http://www.newenglandblood.org/) gives information on local donation sites.
www.redcross.org/

International Society of Infectious Disease. http://www.isid.org/

Johns Hopkins University's
Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies - An excellent site that details threats of bioterrorism, a fact sheet on the agent's used, treatment options, as well as a schedule of upcoming seminars and events.
http://www.jhsph.edu/

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO)
The 24-page December 2001 issue of JCAHO Perspectives provides guidance to health care organizations in preparing for terrorists attacks that may involve nuclear, biological, and/or chemical incidents.
www.jcrinc.com

Kaiser Permanente
Physicians have treated some of the known confirmed pulmonary anthrax cases in the Washington area. The group says it has learned about treatment with multiple antibiotics, the course of recovery over the first several days, more targeted screening of suspicious cases, and the best ways to handle the large numbers of people coming in to be tested. The guidelines are at: www.kp.org

Massachusetts Medical Society
Click the latest articles on the home page, as well as the link "Disaster Preparedness." Contains information for physicians, advisories and links to many other groups, as well as accessible information for patients.
www.massmed.org

New England Journal of Medicine
The world's most influential medical journal published detailed guidelines on diagnosing and treating Bacillus anthracis -- anthrax. The guidelines, published November 6, combine the latest data with previous studies. content.nejm.org/

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and other agencies have developed handbooks, training materials and other guidance for emergency management personnel. http://www.publichealth.va.gov/emergencymanagement/cemp_programs/index.asp

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/emergencymanagement/reference_materials/index.asp