APHA Get Ready Podcast Highlights

Get Ready Podcast Episode 6:
“Healthy stockpiling tips"
Summary of podcast narrated by Teddi Dineley Johnson, reporter, The Nation’s Health, American Public Health Association.

Podcast highlights: McNally advises as to the kinds of food to stockpile in the case of an emergency -- healthy foods low in sodium and fat content that require little or no preparation. She says to plan for a minimum of three days, a week if possible, and makes recommendations regarding supply rotation and storage. She emphasizes that each stockpile will vary according to individual medical conditions and dietary needs, and she spells out the amount of water to keep on hand -- one gallon per person, more for pregnant women and infants. She recommends including children in the planning and suggests checking out the www.ready.gov site for ideas. She lists the indispensable items not to be forgotten and the foods and beverages to avoid. She also stresses the importance of keeping some comfort foods on hand. Read a Q&A report of this interview.

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Get Ready Podcast Episode 5:
“Preparedness Across the Nation: Massachusetts Public Health Association Addresses Pandemic Flu”
Summary of podcast narrated by Catherine Henze, deputy director of Affiliate Affairs, American Public Health Association

Podcast highlights: The Massachusetts Public Health Association is working to educate state legislators and public health officials on how best to prepare for a flu pandemic. Geoff Wilkinson, executive director of MPHA, reminds listeners that it’s the most vulnerable populations that will suffer for a lack of preparedness. To prevent such a disaster, local health officials must focus their energies on strengthening three areas: resources, operational details and coordination among responsible leaders and organizations, according to Wilkinson.

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Get Ready Podcast Episode 4:
“For pandemic flu prevention, the best advice may be ‘rub-a-dub-dub.’”
Summary of podcast narrated by Kim Krisberg

(Podcast is summarized. Quotes presented here are not verbatim. Please listen to podcast for exact language.)

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Get Ready Podcast Episode 3
“Seasonal Flu”
Summary of podcast with APHA Executive Director Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP
(Podcast is summarized. Quotes presented here are not verbatim. Please listen to podcast for exact language.)

Podcast highlights: Influenza occurs most often in the winter months because the organisms like the cold and people congregate most often in the winter. The flu shot is a very important prevention method. It is so important because some people actually die from the flu. This year there is plenty of vaccine; there are 100 million doses available. People at high-risk for catching the flu are encouraged to get the flu shot. People cannot get the flu from the vaccine itself because the vaccine is not the live virus. The populations that are most at risk of developing the flu are the very young and the very old because their immune systems are not as strong and viruses can overwhelm their immune systems. High-risk populations also include persons with diabetes and other illnesses. Signs that people should seek medical help are secondary bacterial infections, shortness of breath, seizures, worsening of diseases, etc.  The most recommended form of prevention of the seasonal flu is to get vaccinated.

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Get Ready Podcast Episode 2
“Get Ready Part 2”
Summary of podcast with APHA Executive Director Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP
(Podcast is summarized. Quotes presented here are not verbatim. Please listen to podcast for exact language.)

Podcast highlights: There are resources provided by APHA through the Get Ready campaign. Public health officials can also assist in the pandemic flu preparedness effort. The resources to educate Americans are the Get Ready Web site and the blog. APHA is linking with preparedness experts. APHA is looking for involvement and is getting assistance from its Student Assembly, Caucuses, and SPIGS (Special Primary Interest Groups). APHA is creating a partnership with other organizations. People can learn more about the pandemic flu by emailing pandemicflu@apha.org. There will also be community activities with Affiliates. The reason APHA should be the organization of choice to assist in this effort is because our mission is to improve public health. APHA wants to engage the community in helping all Americans. The priorities of this mission are to rebuild public healthcare and build the community. The tagline of APHA is “Protect, Prevent, Live Well." More information can be found at http://www.getreadyforflu.org/newsite.htm.

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Get Ready Podcast Episode 1:
Summary of podcast with APHA Executive Director Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP
(Podcast is summarized. Quotes presented here are not verbatim. Please listen to podcast for exact language.)

Podcast highlights: APHA is helping America prepare for a flu pandemic and other emerging diseases. America should get ready because it is only a matter of time before America experiences a pandemic. There is a possibility that the avian flu will become a flu pandemic. APHA will give Americans the tools they need to prepare for a serious preventable health pandemic such as the pandemic flu. The reason APHA focuses on the pandemic flu is because the issue was given governmental, media and political attention in January 2006. The reason we don’t have a campaign on more current issues like obesity and AIDS is because we want to focus on things that can make a difference today.  The lack of preparation in society and concerns were brought on by other disastrous occurrences such as Hurricane Katrina. Health officials consider the pandemic flu and other infectious diseases serious because Americans are not yet prepared. If the flu were to occur tomorrow, the governmental resources would not be sufficient enough to meet all of their needs. Many of us have to provide the healthcare for ourselves and prepare ourselves. The American Public Health Association is different because we are trying to focus on the concept of community resilience. APHA is trying to get communities focused on things they can do to prepare. Because of the disasters that have occurred, the government will need some help and there are things the APHA can do to help Americans. APHA can do thing such as augmenting activities in a preparedness effort. Current efforts have not reached broadly into the communities. We are trying to create a grassroots movement by using a bottom-up approach. APHA is going to play an active role in the preparedness effort.

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