COVID-19 Data Dashboard updates: What’s changing & why
More than three years ago, COVID-19 emerged as a new respiratory infection never experienced before. Today, we know and understand COVID-19 infections better, and the once-unknown illness has become endemic not only in the U.S., but the world. Now that COVID-19 is a common respiratory illness, it is time to adjust our surveillance reports to align with other respiratory illnesses [...]
Ensuring your family is prepared for an emergency can be simple with these Preparedness Month resources
The old adage “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” is also true for preparedness. As National Preparedness Month comes to a close, it’s a great time to make sure your family is prepared. Take the opportunity to prepare now before an emergency happens so you and your loved ones [...]
Arizona families can continue to count on WIC services, even in the event of a federal government shutdown
We want to reassure Arizona families that the Arizona Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program will continue to be open and available for them in the event of a federal government shutdown. We know discussion of a possible shutdown can be concerning to those who rely on WIC benefits to feed their families, but ADHS has worked to ensure Arizona [...]
Healthy start: ADHS Lab checks the health of Arizona’s newborns
Every year since 2010, Arizona parents have brought an average of 80,000 newborns into the world! And every year, health professionals at the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory test around 160,000 blood spot specimens to make sure those newborns have the best possible health at the start of their lives. Through ADHS, Arizona is one of ten states leading the [...]
Reminding Arizonans to keep yourselves safe from dangerous fungi that can cause Valley fever
Last week ADHS, alongside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recognized Fungal Disease Awareness Week. The annual event focuses on the growing challenges surrounding the spread of infectious fungi across the United States. While many different types of fungal diseases call Arizona home, one of the most common is Valley fever. Valley fever is caused by the fungus [...]
When COVID-19 hit, he joined the ADHS Laboratory to be part of the solution
When COVID-19 changed all of our lives in so many different ways, Adrian Fichter decided it was important to become part of the solution. A scientist with degrees in conservation biology and ecology, he became interested in public health as COVID-19 spread. He joined the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory in early 2021, right in the middle of the COVID-19 [...]