Region 4A Medical Reserve Corps

Prior Year Activities :

From: John Auerbach, DPH Commissioner, Dec. 30, 2009

Download the PDF Version of John Auerbach's letter to MRC volunteers

Dear Colleagues:

I would like to extend my appreciation to the thousands of volunteers in the 45 Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units based in Massachusetts who have been called upon more often than ever before because of the H1N1 virus. You have lived up to your mission of improving the health and safety of communities across Massachusetts by organizing and utilizing public health, medical and other volunteers.

MRC members have generously provided their time and effort to support hundreds of public H1N1 and seasonal flu clinics throughout the Commonwealth over the past several months. Your support has been and will continue to be crucial to the continued success of our efforts to protect the public from H1N1 through mass vaccination and other means.

MRC members have also assisted in community education and awareness campaigns and assisted in planning and exercises in preparation for the mass vaccination efforts that helped ensure success during the H1N1 pandemic.

Many people in the highest-risk groups have been vaccinated for both seasonal and H1N1 influenza. And, for the moment, H1N1 flu illness has declined in most areas. But, we are only at the beginning of the traditional flu season and H1N1 could return with a vengeance. Therefore, we still need your support to continue the vaccination efforts, to educate and inform the public about the flu and to be on call for the unpredictable.

Once again, thank you for your past efforts and for your ongoing commitment to protecting the public's health. Best wishes to everyone for a happy and healthy new year – with less illness (H1N1 and otherwise) and fewer emergencies.

Sincerely,
John Auerbach
Commissioner
Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Photo Spotlight, Dec., 2009

The Medfield MRC takes a breather to pose with Santa during the 5K Angel Run in Medfield in December 2009. The MRC staffed a first aid booth during the road race. Photo Courtesy of Debra Gursha CIH

Medfield MRC staffing the 2009 5k Angel Run

H1N1 Vaccination Clinic Volunteers Needed

Liisa Jackson, Nov 11, 2009

Dear Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers

The MA Region 4A Medical Reserve Corps in partnership with the Local Health Departments in Region 4A are preparing for the likelihood of a Region wide H1N1 vaccination effort, and we need support from the Medical Reserve Corps volunteers to help us staff flu clinics across the Region. We are building vaccination teams to support the Local Health Departments in the Region that may not have enough volunteers to staff their flu clinics.

To support the many clinics that are being planned across the Region, we are looking for:

MRC Executive Committee members who can help organize and schedule staffing for the local flu clinics
Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, and other healthcare providers who can draw and/or administer vaccine
Schools with nursing and Pharmacy programs willing to bring teams of students to clinics
Anyone who speaks multiple languages
Non-clinical volunteers who can help register and move patients through the clinic

In addition, we may need office support at the local Health Departments. To fill that role we could use: Public Health workers, students, and others with some weekday availability who are comfortable with data entry and telephone case interviews

If you would like to volunteer for the Region 4A vaccination Team please fill out this survey

Thank you for helping to protect the residents of Massachusetts. We expect to vaccinate a large percentage of our residents , and this would not be possible without the help and support of the Medical Reserve Corps volunteers.

Kindly,
Liisa Jackson
Massachusetts Region 4A Medical Reserve Corps Coordinator

Harvard Launches iPhone App for Swine Flu

Boston Globe, Nov 3, 2009

Story from the Boston Globe
Links to the iTunes store

Presidential Declaration of National Emergency

October 27, 2009

The following message was received and confirmed over the weekend:

  From: Health & Homeland Alert Network (HHAN)
  Sent: Saturday, October 24, 2009 8:40 PM
  To: Liisa Jackson (email)
  Subject: HHAN Alert (Moderate): Presidential Declaration of National
  Emergency With Respect to H1N1 Influenza

  The following is an alert message from the Massachusetts Health and
  Homeland Alert Network:

    Title: Presidential Declaration of National Emergency 
           With Respect to H1N1 Influenza
    Group: LBOH
    Time Sent: 2009-10-24 20:40:00
    Severity: Moderate
    Sensitivity: This message does not contain sensitive information.

    Alert Identifier: D8HWVEZ8GXLXL8QYHPTMQDWBDF37WP58

  Alert Message: 
  Good evening.  This alert is to inform you that the President has
  signed a Declaration of National Emergency With Respect to the H1N1
  Influenza Pandemic.  The Declaration will provide more flexibility for
  hospitals in their response to H1N1 influenza. The declaration would
  permit the federal government to waive specific hospital-related legal
  requirements.  This would allow hospitals to take certain actions to
  respond to increased demands for care and to fully implement their
  disaster operations plans that enable appropriate care during
  emergencies.  For more information, including the declaration and
  message to Congress, please log on to the HHAN.

  Confirmation of this alert is required, please follow this link to
  confirm:
  <-- clip -->

This notice does not require immediate action on the part of any volunteers. It is posted here for informational purposes only.

Letter from the Acting Deputy Surgeon General

Relayed from Robert C. Williams, Acting Deputy Surgeon General, Sept 1, 2009

Dear MRC Leaders and Volunteers,

As we plan and prepare for the upcoming seasonal flu season and the very real potential for widespread transmission of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza, there is no doubt that volunteers will be needed in all communities to assist with education, vaccination, and other activities. The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is poised to take the lead in volunteer recruitment, credentialing, training and response. You will play an integral role in the health and safety of your towns, cities, counties and states. I encourage you to plan now for what may lay ahead.

The Medical Reserve Corps continues to have an amazing impact across the country. The reports I receive from CAPT Tosatto and staff in the Office of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (OCVMRC) show the impressive extent of the activities you are doing and initiatives you are promoting. The White House, Department of Health and Human Services and Office of the Surgeon General have taken notice of your achievements and have acknowleged the important role that you play in a public health emergency, such as widespread H1N1 flu transmission. Many of you are already meeting with your health department leaders, local first responders and emergency management staff to determine the role of your MRC unit in a large-scale public health response. That is great! Keep the lines of communication open and continue to promote your MRC within your community as the go-to organization for public health, medical, and other volunteers for H1N1-related activities. This is a tremendous opportunity to boost your exposure and credibility, and to build the resiliency of your community. When others see what we have seen for several years now, I am convinced the MRC will reach new levels of success. By being active participants in your community's planning process, you will ensure a clear role for your unit in a response.

I strongly urge you to stay in close contact with the volunteers in your unit. Be sure your members are aware of what their role will be in a possible response, ensure that they have personal, family and workplace preparedness plans, and discuss their concerns surrounding H1N1. Take this time to test your activation procedures and conduct other exercises to prepare your cadre of volunteers. Individuals who are engaged, trained and prepared — who understand their role — are more likely to show up when you need them.

As the Acting Deputy Surgeon General (and formerly the OSG Chief of Staff), I have observed the MRC since its inception. With H1N1, I believe the MRC network has an incredible potential to be an even stronger voice for public health. With more than 180,000 volunteers right now, it would be hard to quantify your circle of influence, but you do represent an incredible force mulitiplier . By simply using your voices and knowledge, you have a great opportunity to educate your communities on H1N1 prevention strategies, like proper cough etiquette, hand washing, and social distancing. In doing so, you influence the behaviors of hundreds of thousands of people across America.

There are many resources available to you from the CDC, HHS, and the OCVMRC. Look for regular email communications, check the MRC webpage (http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/H1N1Flu) and report back to the OCVMRC your unit's activities, plans, and response efforts. Stay connected so that everyone can best understand the impact and breadth of activities the MRC does to strengthen public health.

You have always been wonderful champions of the Surgeon General's priorities for public health. I thank you for the work you have already done, and thank you in advance for the work that you will do this fall and winter. There has been no more crucial time in recent history to share information and to help others know what to do to prevent the flu.

We are so proud of what you do everyday. Your talents and skills are a tremendous asset to your local communities.

With sincere thanks,

Robert C. Williams, P.E., DEE
RADM, USPHS Acting Deputy Surgeon General

*** Go to https://list.nih.gov/ to subscribe or unsubscribe from the one-way MRC National Listserv. ***

Liability Protection for H1N1 Volunteers

Relayed from Priscilla Fox, MDPH Deputy General Counsel, August 17, 2009

Please see the attached PREP Act memo from Priscilla Fox, MDPH Deputy General Counsel, which summarizes the liability protection for people who will be involved in the H1N1 vaccination efforts this fall.

Volunteer Update on Massachusetts

From the Massachusetts Medical Reserve Corps H1N1 Volunteer Advisory August 7, 2009

Emergency Preparedness Bureau

FLU ADVISORY

As of August 6, 2009, 1,383 confirmed cases of H1N1 have been reported throughout Massachusetts. As of July 30, there have been 5,514 hospitalized cases of H1N1 nationally, with 353 deaths.

DPH continues planning for the fall flu season. This week there was a great deal of emphasis on vaccination planning for seasonal influenza and also for novel H1N1 flu. This year, because of expedited production, Massachusetts may see its supply of seasonal influenza vaccine earlier than ever. It is likely that health care providers across the state could start vaccinating their patients for seasonal flu as early as the end of August. This is important because while a vaccine for seasonal influenza won't protect against the new H1N1 flu, it WILL protect from the seasonal flu -- which will likely be circulating at the same time that H1N1 flu is circulating.

The CDC is continuing to develop and test a vaccine for H1N1 flu and has indicated that an H1N1 vaccine may be available in large quantities starting in October. Even if the H1N1 vaccine is ready by then, it will likely not be delivered all at once. All states will likely receive an initial allocation and then regular shipments after that.

Given that we are already in August, planning has also focused on back-to-school issues relating to the upcoming flu season. DPH is working closely on a number of planning issues with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as well as School Health Nurses and local public health partners. The goal of course is to keep students and staff healthy and to manage likely flu outbreaks with as little disruption as possible for schools and parents.

The CDC issued revised guidance on the amount of time persons with influenza-like illness should be away from others. CDC recommends that people with influenza-like illness remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100° F [37.8°C]), or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. For more information visit: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/exclusion.htm.

Please go to the Department's website at www.mass.gov/dph/swineflu to receive the most up to date information.

Contact MSAR:
www.mass.gov/MSAR
msar@dph.state.ma.us

Acton's Emergency Dispensing Site Drill a Success!

The Acton Board of Health and the Medical Reserve Corps held an Emergency Dispensing Site Drill this spring in which over 400 vehicles participated in the "Drive Through" educational exercise.

The drill was held in conjunction with Acton Hazardous Waste Day . This mock incident was designed to understand how well the 20,000 Acton residents are prepared for a large-scale medical emergency. The MRC distributed literature to Acton residents outlining steps to take in the event of an epidemic.

Click image for full size image

Emergency Dispensing Site Drill Volunteers

Front:
Pat, Cheryl, Bettina, Linda, Paula
Back:
Pam, Alma, Ellen, Laura, Eleni, Kimberly, Sue

Photo Spotlight, July, 2009

Dr. John Stevens, Richard Simons and Chief Ken McClain from Subdbury.

From the World Health Organization, Jun 11, 2009

Today the World Health Organization raised the Influenza pandemic alert Level for H1N1 to phase 6.

On the basis of available evidence and expert assessments of the evidence, the scientific criteria for an influenza pandemic have been met. The Director-General of WHO has therefore decided to raise the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6. "The world is now at the start of the 2009 influenza pandemic," she said at a press conference today.
— WHO website

Read the complete statement from Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization

From Liisa Jackson, Lead Coordinator, Region 4A-MRC, May 28, 2009

Dear MRC Region 4A MRC Volunteers,

As many of you may already aware, Congress has provided emergency appropriation of $1 billion to manufacture vaccines for the novel H1N1 (swine) flu virus. However, no decision has been made whether to start wide-scale production of the vaccine yet.

Please refer to this Wall Street Journal article for more details.

In all likelihood, this H1N1 vaccine will go into production in the summer. I anticipate that we will receive the vaccines in late October or early November. This vaccine will most likely requires a booster shot 30 days after the first shot, since we don't have much, if any, immunity towards this novel virus strain. In order to organize and carry out a town-wide vaccination clinic, we will need all of your help. I believe this is why you signed up as a volunteer!

We have a Mass Emergency Dispensing Site (EDS) Operations Plan in place, and exercised that plan last November at our Annual Flu Clinic at the High School. If you would like to be a part of our team in running these vaccination clinics, please let me know. There will be at least 2 clinics for the H1N1 vaccines and booster, and 1 or 2 for the seasonal flu. We NEED your help! If you would like to help but have not been to the EDS training classes, please sign up our upcoming classes at: http://www.region4a-mrc.org/Training.php

This is a two-session class, and you'll need to attend both sessions. This class will help you understand the mechanics of an EDS, as well as proper ways to deal with situations that may come up while running the EDS. I strongly encourage anyone who hasn't taken it before to attend the training.

Currently, the CDC guidelines give first responders and those essential personnel responding to the pandemic to have first priority in receiving the vaccine. That means the volunteers that are running the vaccination clinics will be vaccinated first, together with Fire and Police. Locally, we are also considering immediate family members of the volunteers, Police and Fire is included in the priority list.

Sign up the EDS classes and come help your neighbors and our community to run the clinics!

Best regards,

Liisa Jackson
MA Region 4A Coordinator

From Liisa Jackson, Lead Coordinator, Region 4A-MRC, May 11, 2009

Dear MRC Region 4A MRC Volunteers, and Colleagues,

Since the initial announcement of the 2009 H1N1 Influenza outbreak, many MRC of the local branches in Region 4A have reported that they are maintaining their situational awareness, reviewing their pandemic response plans with their local public health, medical and emergency response partners, and planning for possible Strategic National Stockpile distributions of antiviral medications. In addition, many MRC have conducted H1N1 flu-related activities in their communities buy getting H1N1 information, Flu Care at Home and family preparedness out to their communities.

At the National level here is what other MRC units are doing: http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/HomePage

We will continue to share this information with key leaders within HHS, including the Surgeon General.

By being fully aware of the activities taking place in our Region and across the country, we will best be able to tell the story of how the MRC made a positive impact during this public health emergency.

Your efforts and continued hard work are appreciated, and we look forward to reading and reporting on more of your responses.

Liisa Jackson
MA Region 4A MEC Coordinator
Volunteers Building Strong, Healthy, and Prepared Communities

From Liisa Jackson, Lead Coordinator, Region 4A-MRC, April 30, 2009

Good Morning MRC Volunteers,

I hope this message finds you well.
As MRC volunteers, and as I would recommend to anyone, this is a good time to take stock of your household preparedness for emergencies, making sure you have replenished your supplies in your 72-hour kit and updated your family disaster plan. It's also a good time to remind your family and your co-workers about healthy hygiene habits that will prevent the spread of any disease:

Wash your hands often with soap and water (for at least 20 seconds), especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
Practice good "cough etiquette" by coughing or sneezing into a tissue, or into your elbow, instead of into your hands. Throw away tissues after use.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
If you get sick, stay home from work or school, consult with your Primary Care Physician, and limit contact with others to avoid infecting them.
At this time the Health Department is echoing the DPH and CDC recommendations, which include those listed above, as well as:
If you or a household member has recently returned from Mexico, and flu-like symptoms develop, please consult with your family physician and let them know about your recent travel history. Symptoms of influenza include: fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea.
If someone in your household is sick with influenza, the DPH "Flu Care at Home" program is a great resource.
Health Dept guidelines

As always, please contact me (email is best) if you have any questions.

Liisa
MakeFamilySafer.pdf
Home Preparedness Checklist-8.doc

Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection (U.S.)

April 29, 2009 11:00 AM ET

27 Additional confirmed cases reported since yesterday's statistics, including two in Massachusetts (2 siblings in Lowell who returned recently from travel to Mexico). Both have MA cases have been deemed mild.

April 29, 2009 9:00 AM ET

One fatality has been reported in Texas as of this morning. More updates soon.

April 28, 2009 11:00 AM ET

Initial statistics posted.

State	# of laboratory confirmed cases	Fatalities

Arizona	1 ( 1 new)	0
California	14 ( 4 new)	0
Indiana	1 ( 1 new)	0
Kansas	2 ( 0 new)	0
Massachusetts	2 ( 2 new)	0
Michigan	2 ( 2 new)	0
Nevada	1 ( 1 new)	0
New York (NYC)	51 ( 6 new)	0
Ohio	1 ( 0 new)	0
Texas	16 (10 new)	1

TOTAL COUNT	91 (27 new)	1 fatality

International Human Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection
See: World Health Organization

April 29, 2009 12:01 PM ET

From Tom Lyons, DPH

Both school-aged children in Lowell are doing well and were never hospitalized. They were never at school during the course of their illness, and their parents did not work during that time. Also, as of Tuesday night none of their close contacts were exhibiting any symptoms.

Press Release

H1N1 Flu Update 2:

From Liisa Jackson, Lead Coordinator, Region 4A-MRC, April 28, 2009

The US Centers for Disease Control is currently reporting only 67 confirmed cases, with no deaths, in the United States. No cases have been reported in Massachusetts or New England.

MA Region 4A Medical Reserve Corps recommends the public take the following actions:

Continue to monitor the situation and listen for updates from local officials.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
Practice good "cough etiquette" by coughing or sneezing into a tissue or into your elbow instead of into your hands. Throw away tissues after use.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
If you get sick, stay home from work or school, consult with your Primary Care Physician, and limit contact with others to avoid infecting them.

Symptoms of influenza include: fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea.

Swine influenza is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses. Outbreaks of swine flu happen regularly in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Most commonly, human cases of swine flu happen in people who are around pigs but it is possible for swine flu viruses to spread from person to person as well. In this case there was a mutation that resulted in what is now known as the H1N1 flu. Swine flu is not transmitted by food and you cannot get swine flu (or H1N1) by eating pork products.