Preparedness

/Preparedness

Items in the Preparedness category will cover everything from Emergency Medical Services to vaccination programs. This division at ADHS tracks contagious disease, coordinates emergency preparedness activity, licenses EMTs and Paramedics, regulates ambulance companies, authorizes special hospital designations like cardiac care center and Level IV trauma center, issues birth and death certificates, and tracks critical health data through various sources including hospital discharge information.

Annual vaccine can still protect you against influenza this year

By | December 5th, 2022|Preparedness|

No one wants to experience the fever, cough, and body aches that often come with influenza. That's especially true with the holiday season quickly approaching. The good news: You can still get the 2022-23 influenza vaccine for protection against the flu this year. Arizona is experiencing a busy flu season so far. Since the season [...]

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There’s no better time to update your protection against COVID-19 and influenza

By | December 2nd, 2022|Preparedness|

As you’re preparing for the holidays, now is a great time to add COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations to your to-do list.  It takes at least two weeks to build antibody protection after vaccination. Getting your Omicron COVID-19 booster and flu shot now — and you can get both in one visit — means your immune [...]

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Amid COVID-19, a seemingly audacious request met a pressing health need

By | November 30th, 2022|Preparedness|

In early 2021, Governor Doug Ducey called on ADHS to open a first-of-its-kind, 24-hour COVID-19 mass-vaccination site at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.  The timeline was bold, even audacious: Have the site up and running in less than a week.  But with public safety and health top priorities throughout his tenure, the governor pointed to [...]

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Eight Arizona counties, including Pima, have high COVID-19 community levels

By | November 29th, 2022|Preparedness|

Eight Arizona counties, including Pima County, have high COVID-19 community levels in the latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This means masks are recommended for public indoor settings. The other counties with high COVID-19 community levels are Apache, Cochise, Gila, Greenlee, La Paz, Navajo, and Yuma. All other counties, including [...]

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Watching 911 calls helps ADHS track health trends

By | November 28th, 2022|Preparedness|

Last week in Arizona there were nearly 18,000 emergency calls to 911 reported through the Arizona Prehospital Information and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Registry System (AZ-PIERS). That included 1,271 calls about injuries related to falls, 567 for motor vehicle crashes, and 343 for cardiac arrest and strokes.  We keep track of those numbers not out [...]

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Pinal County sees season’s first pediatric influenza death

By | November 25th, 2022|Preparedness|

Pinal County recently recorded this season’s first pediatric influenza death in Arizona. This heartbreaking news is a reminder that children younger than 5 who get influenza are among those at increased risk of complications including pneumonia, worsening of chronic conditions, encephalopathy, and sinus and ear infections.  Quite simply, influenza is an unpredictable virus that can [...]

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Study: Omicron booster gives significant additional protection against COVID-19

By | November 23rd, 2022|Preparedness|

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study has found that the Omicron booster provided significant additional protection against symptomatic COVID-19 illness in people who had received at least two doses of a previous COVID-19 vaccine.  The CDC notes that COVID-19 spread has increased during the last two winters. And Arizona cases have increased [...]

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U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week: Help reduce antimicrobial resistance

By | November 22nd, 2022|Preparedness|

Improving our understanding of when and how to use antibiotics promotes health, fights the challenge of antimicrobial resistance, and helps ensure that antibiotics will be able to help generations to come.  During U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week, ADHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are among organizations sharing the message that antibiotics can [...]

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Valley Fever Awareness Week: Reduce your risk, get tested if you have symptoms

By | November 18th, 2022|Preparedness|

With cases of respiratory illness rising in Arizona, it's easy to overlook the possibility that Valley fever might be the reason for a cough, fever, or exhaustion. Caused by a fungus that can be carried by blowing dust, Valley fever is one of the most commonly reported infectious diseases in our state. Anyone who lives [...]

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Crash Responder Safety Week: Move Over, slow down when you see flashing lights

By | November 16th, 2022|Preparedness|

You might associate Crash Responder Safety Week more with our colleagues at the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Arizona Department of Transportation. But it's special to ADHS as well because of our role in supporting Arizona's emergency medical services and trauma system.  From 2019 to 2021, there were more than 100,000 traffic-related crashes involving [...]

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