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July 27, 2020Read more...

Finding & Reading the Literature on COVID-19

There are very few positives that have come from this COVID-19 Pandemic, but there is one that has made it easier for scientists, health care providers, and anyone who wants to know what is happening, from a scientific or medical perspective, to have access to the latest information on a wide range of topics related to SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. The downside is that those readers who are not used to reading scientific or medical literature, may not realize that the info...

June 24, 2020Read more...

FDA Warning about Hand Sanitizers Containing Methanol

Executive Summary: The FDA has put out a recommendation that advises all consumers to NOT use any hand sanitizer products manufactured in Mexico by the company ESKbiochem SA de CV.  There is potential for these products to contain methanol (aka wood alcohol), which can be extremely toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested.  The FDA notified the manufacturer (6/17/20) that they should remove the products from sale but the company has not yet responded.  The FDA suggests that anyone with...

June 17, 2020Read more...

FDA Alert for Two Neuromuscular Blockade Meds 6-17-20

Executive Summary: The FDA is reportedly sending healthcare providers notice of temporary approval of a missing ‘Paralyzing Agent’ warning from the caps of vials of certain strengths of two neuromuscular blockade IV medications, namely vecuronium bromide and rocuronium bromide.  The affected products, with NDC numbers, manufacturers, and recommendations can be found at the FDA link below.  The missing vial cap warning is important as a safety reminder for a high-risk medication.  More complete details can be found in the body of...

June 12, 2020Read more...

COVID-19 First Responder Update 6/11/20

There is plenty of information about COVID-19 available for anyone who searches and clicks on a computer or turns on a TV or radio to catch up on the news. As more is learned about the disease, more info is written and released in an effort to help advance the ability to recognize, identify, track, treat and prevent COVID, so sometimes, as more insight is gained, the information changes.  In the beginning, a lot of it was because there just...

June 3, 2020Read more...

New Ebola Outbreak NW DRC Declared 6-1-20

Executive Summary: On 6/1/20, the WHO announced a new outbreak of Ebola in the Northwestern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the same area that had a short outbreak in May 2018.  WHO Responders & partners are already there and have done sampling & testing; more responders and supplies are on their way, including vaccine.  In this new outbreak, there are 9 cases, 5 of which have been fatal, and one healthcare workers infected.  This outbreak is worrisome...

June 1, 2020Read more...

Eastern Great Lakes Pediatric Consortium for Disaster Response Survey

Dear Colleague There has never been a more important time to draw on real world experience to improve pediatric disaster readiness. You are invited to participate in a short survey on pediatric disaster education.  This less than 20 minute survey is being conducted by the Eastern Great Lakes Pediatric Consortium for Disaster Response as part of the ASPR National Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness Program #1U3REP190615-01-00.  Your responses will identify gaps in pediatric disaster education and training and will serve to inform future pediatric...

May 29, 2020Read more...

Acute Inflammatory Illness in Children Temporally Linked to COVID-19 aka Multi Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

GOAL:  Awareness of the Syndrome, early identification of its signs that can be recognized by parents/caregivers, EMS systems, and other first responders, with transport to an appropriate hospital for further evaluation & care.  Background:  Two labels for one scary syndrome.  The first one is from the WHO and the second one is from the CDC for the U.S.  The “temporally linked” to COVID is important since no one is sure yet that COVID-19 and this syndrome are cause and effect,...

May 29, 2020Read more...

Websites for Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children

United States: CDC Health Advisory from the Health Alert Network: https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2020/han00432.asp CDC MIS-C for Parents: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/children/mis-c.html CDC COVID and MIC-C Information for Healthcare Providers: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/pediatric-hcp.html#anchor_1589580133375 Medscape Video & Article on MIS-C in Kids:  What Do We Know? https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/930686 Canada:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                CPSP/PCSP Public Health Alert for Acute Inflammatory Illness in Children…. : https://www.cpsp.cps.ca/uploads/private/CPSP_Public_Health_Alert_Acute_inflammatory_illness_and_COVID-19.pdf CPSP Website for COVID-19 in hospitalized children and non-hospitalized children with chronic co-morbid conditions: https://www.cpsp.cps.ca/surveillance/study-etude/covid-19-in-hospitalized-children-and-non-hospitalized-children-with-chronic-co-morbid-conditions  The Provincial Council for Maternal & Child Health (PCMCH) & Kids...

May 16, 2020Read more...

CDC Health Alert Network (HAN) Advisory on 5/14/20: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) Associated with COVID-19

A new syndrome, now named MIS-C, has been identified in multiple countries in the past few weeks which seems to be associated with COVID-19 infection, even if COVID was asymptomatic or unrecognized. It manifests itself as a Kawasaki-like illness and/or as Toxic Shock-Like Syndrome. It needs to be recognized as early as possible, so that monitoring, treatment, and testing can be started early in its course for the best outcomes. That makes it essential for Pre-hospital & Hospital Providers to...

April 3, 2020Read more...

Introduction to the Staying Informed, Staying Healthy, & Staying in Charge Article Series

Any time there is a novel virus, regardless of what it is or where it came from, there is a learning curve for virologists, infectious disease doctors, epidemiologists, other health care workers, first responders and the public.  This is even more pronounced when it is a global event, since different countries note and report different data points and have different thresholds for including these elements in a report.  Those countries with their own robust health systems, especially with epidemiologically-based public...

March 29, 2020Read more...

New COVID-19 Resource Page on EMS.gov

A new COVID-19 resource page on EMS.gov provides easy to find links to the most relevant and up-to-date information from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NHTSA Office of EMS and other Federal agencies involved in the response to the pandemic. This includes guidance for treating potential COVID-19 patients, information on PPE use and supplies and processes for handling healthcare providers who have been exposed to coronavirus.

March 28, 2020Read more...

Ryan White Act Expanded to Include COVID-19 Reporting

Executive Summary: For those Public Safety Agencies reporting an employee’s possible exposure, and expecting notification of a positive COVID-19 disease result from the hospital or public health officer, the expanded Ryan White Act of 2009 update has been published by NIOSH/CDC and will address this issue.  Furthermore, emergency response employees covered by the Act have been defined.  Full Report: The CDC/NIOSH has updated the Infectious Diseases and Circumstances Relevant to Notification of Emergency Response Employees: Implementation of Sec.2695 of the Ryan White...

March 13, 2020Read more...

4th Webinar in a Series: COVID-19 EMS Patient Management: Myth vs. Reality | Recording and Handout

This joint webinar of PCC, AIMHI, IAED, NAEMT, CAA, and FirstWatch was the 4th in a series. We were proud to see that over 1,300 people registered for it. With Matt Zavadsky from MedStar moderating, our presenters for Solano County, California were Dr. Bela Matyas from Solano County Public Health, Ted Selby from Solano County EMS, and Jimmy Pierson from Medic Ambulance. They provided incredibly useful and practical information from their ongoing experience providing care for COVID-19 patients quarantined at Travis Air Base. One example of insight shared...

March 4, 2020Read more...

COVID-19 Process/Policy Template

The intention of the COVID-19 Process/Policy Template is to provide agencies, medical directors, or others who want to utilize it, an outline/template on which to build an agency-specific policy/protocol to address COVID-19. This includes suggestions for development and/or oversight committees, outside partners and stakeholders, as well as preparation and process for EMS workers who provide best practice care for patients as well as providing for the protection of pre-hospital providers and medical director(s). Its application is totally up to the user. This document...

March 3, 2020Read more...

For Week #8 Flu & ILI Decreased for 2nd Week but Pediatric Deaths at Record Rate

Executive Summary:  Although the flu season is hopefully going to continue to decline over the next month, it is still something to watch closely.  Flu activity decreased with hospitalizations for children & young adults higher than other recent flu seasons.  Pediatric deaths total 125 for the season, with 20 of those deaths reported this week. This season is considered severe. Also, with COVID-19 now in different states and communities within the U.S., some with community spread, everyone must realize that the...

February 28, 2020Read more...

COVID-19 Revised CDC Definition Feb 27, 2020

Executive Summary: A revised Criteria to Guide Evaluation of PUI for COVID-19 and Footnotes have been developed by the CDC to better define what currently makes a person fall into ‘A Person Under Investigation Status’ (aka Case Definition).  It consists of an Introduction, the Criteria Chart, List of Affected Geographic Areas of Widespread or Sustained Community Spread, and Footnotes to clarify specific application.  

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