About the Guardian
The Guardian of Public Health is a monthly newsletter from the Bureau of EMS, Trauma, and Preparedness (BETP) within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The Guardian aims to provide its readers with relevant content on topics that affect the public health of citizens and communities in Michigan. For questions or comments please contact Kerry Chamberlain at chamberlaink2@michigan.gov.
The Bureau of Laboratories and Zika Virus Testing
Teresa Miller, Chemical Threat Response Training Coordinator, Michigan
Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Laboratories
The Bureau of Laboratories, Michigan’s Public Health
Laboratory began testing human clinical samples for Zika virus on May 9, 2016. Michigan is not a geographical hot zone for
Zika virus. Our public health laboratory
has allied with notable public health officials to perform clinical sample
analysis for suspected human cases. Analysis
of these clinical samples will aid epidemiologists and other scientific
entities in finding definitive answers to concerns about contraction and spread
of this viremic disease. Although the
Bureau of Laboratories is not a research facility, characteristics of
identified viral illness will aid in the quest for answers to our scientific
questions about this virus.
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Macomb County Health
Department Earns National Recognition for Preparedness
Macomb County Health Department has been recognized by the
National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO) for their
ability to plan for, respond to, and recover from public health
emergencies. The health department has demonstrated
through Project Public Health Ready (PPHR) their preparedness and response
capability by meeting a comprehensive set of nationally-recognized standards,
which are aligned with federal government requirements and national best
practices.
PPHR standards focus on three main goals: all-hazards
planning, workforce development, and demonstrating readiness through exercises
and real events. PPHR is a rigorous program that requires a tremendous amount
of dedication, time and collaborative partnership. Macomb County Health Department joins nine
other Michigan local health departments that have been distinguished for
excellence in preparedness through PPHR, and more than 400 public health agencies
across the nation.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
(MDHHS), Bureau of EMS, Trauma and Preparedness (BETP) congratulates Macomb
County Health Department on their achievement and thanks them for their
dedication to preparedness and in keeping Michigan residents healthy and safe. For more information on Project Public Health
Ready, visit www.naccho.org/pphr. For more information about PPHR in Michigan,
contact Katie Dunkle-Reynolds at dunklek@michigan.gov/.
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Blood Lead Levels Among Children Aged <6 Years — Flint, Michigan, 2013–2016
Researchers in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report share the results of blood lead level testing in children less than six years old in Flint, Michigan. They analyzed blood lead level surveillance data from April 25th, 2013 to March 26, 2016. These dates correspond to before the switch to the Flint Water Authority to the return to the Detroit Water Authority after the use of Flint water. This period was split into four smaller time periods corresponding to the different events: before the switch from the Detroit Water Authority to the Flint Water Authority, after the switch from the Detroit Water Authority to the Flint Water Authority, but before the water advisory was issued, after the switch to the Flint Water Authority and after issuance of the water advisory, and after the switch back to the Detroit Water Authority from the Flint Water Authority. The research showed blood lead levels increased after the switch to the Flint Water Authority in children under six.
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