Update!
After a very nice little hiatus, I've decided to put pen to paper once again, such as it were. I'm still posting on public health preparedness issues, though obviously I'll be focusing on H1N1 influenza pretty exclusively. I've noticed that I've been writing about public information a lot, and I continue to have a huge interest in social media in both of these realms.
If you've got an interest in any of this please feel free to leave me a comment, drop me an email or follow me on Twitter
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Bruce Schneier, writing for CNN, continues today's hit parade on the poor reaction to the underpants bomber. Not the political bs, but the HLS bs.
He advocates taking airline security back to 9/11 levels. In the past, Mr. Schneier has famously said, "Only two things have made flying safer [since 9/11]: the reinforcement of cockpit doors, and the fact that passengers know now to resist hijackers." It would seem that our response should focus on the second item there, not on forcing people to prove their level of bladder control.
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From one of my favorite HLS authors, Amanda Ripley. She talks about the ass-backwards way the federal government continues to approach homeland security planning and response. While the punchline is obviously the last line of the article, she gives a great suggestion for HLS funding: why not double (triple?) Citizen Corps funding? I agree, why not?
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Pretty neat retelling of the H1N1 timeline
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An excellent article in EID on laboratory surge capacity in NYC during the opening salvos of H1N1. Thanks to @jnwilliams76
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Pretty cool walkthrough of the history of H1N1 in the US.
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Short and sweet: 1,490 additional epidemiologists are needed to achieve ideal epidemiology and surveillance capacity. Only 37 states reported "substantial-to-full capacity (>50%)" in bioterrorism and emergency response — which is still miles better than occupational health, oral health and substance abuse.
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Interactive site full of H1N1 influenza information
Easily my favorite part of TFAH’s Ready Or Not season is the headlines editors throw together trying to explain what public health prearedness is and why their state is failing (or doing so well).
The best one I’ve seen this year comes via @BeingPrepared, who forwards this article from NorthJersey.com:
Report: NJ only 60% prepared for health emergency
Like you can be 100% prepared. Like the metrics used actually measure “preparedness.” Does this mean that New Jersey is now liable for 40% of the deaths due to health emergencies? The mind boggles.
