November 12 - 18, 2018 is U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week. This annual week-long observance raises awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic prescribing. This week helps increase awareness of improving appropriate use of antibiotics in communities, in healthcare facilities, and even on the farm! Antibiotics save lives, and are [...]
Dust Storm Weather 6/6/06 A dust storm rolls into the Valley of the Sun Tuesday evening. The Arizona Center, St. Mary's Basilica and Chase Ballpark are in the foreground in downtown Phoenix, AZ. Photo by Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic Valley Fever Awareness Week is here! Did you know that valley fever (coccidioidomycosis) is [...]
During a disaster, local, state, and federal governments can declare a state of emergency to free up emergency funding and waive certain regulatory requirements that can impede rapid response. The steps for issuing such a declaration are often complicated by differing laws at the various levels of government. Additionally, it is not always clear how [...]
Halloween could be scary for different reasons than you think because on average, twice as many kids are killed while walking on Halloween than any other day of year! However, simple steps can be taken to ensure your children stay safe. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends making sure your children are seen. This can [...]
Increased Ebola activity has been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since May 2018. Swift and effective public health responses, including the use of an experimental Ebola vaccine, have been successful in containing the outbreak in the northwestern part of the country, which was declared over on July 24. However, a second [...]
Vaccines are critical to protecting the health of all Arizonans because they help stop the spread of numerous dangerous diseases, such as measles and whooping cough. Not everyone is old enough or healthy enough to be protected with vaccines, which is why it’s so important that nearly everyone else in our community is fully vaccinated. [...]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has noted an increase in reported and confirmed Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) cases in 2018. AFM is a rare but serious condition that affects the nervous system causing a sudden onset of arm and/or leg weakness. AFM has a number of causes, including viruses, such as enterovirus and West Nile virus, and a [...]
International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW) occurs globally from October 14 - 20 and raises awareness of the role infection prevention plays in improving patient safety. The 2018 theme, “Protecting Patients Everywhere,” emphasizes how keeping patients safe from infection is everyone’s responsibility. Whether you’re in a healthcare facility or in the community, there are things you [...]
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, gender, or socioeconomic background. It happens among married or not married couples, those who are dating, living together, and partners in an intimate relationship. Domestic violence comes in many forms. The abuse may be physical, sexual, [...]
The 2018–2019 influenza season has arrived in Arizona! Since the beginning of October, Arizona had 56 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza reported from 10 counties, compared to 16 cases typically seen at this time of year. This means if you and your family have not been vaccinated for this season, now is the time. The influenza [...]
