MERS, The Twitterverse & MOH Damage Control

 

# 8454

 

A sign of increasing concern among residents of Saudi Arabia is that Arabic social media – in particular twitter – has gone ballistic this morning over the MERS coronavirus.  

 

I’m tracking about 30 new tweets a minute containing the word  كورونا (`SK’ or `Corona’) coming across the transom, many with photos attached.  Before Chrome can auto translate a batch, another 20 have arrived.

 

Many, of course, are re-tweets.  A growing trend are tweets critical of the MOH. And some are suggesting there are `many more suspected’ cases being tested. 

 

That, in itself, may not mean much given the epidemiological investigation - including the monitoring and testing of contacts of known cases - who could legitimately be called `suspected cases’. 

 

Frankly, I’d be highly surprised (and very disappointed) if they weren’t testing a lot of people.

 

Whatever the veracity of these tweets (and many do appear to be of dubious quality), their sheer volume is a good indication of just how much worry there is over this MERS outbreak, and how hollow many regard the assurances from the MOH that the situation is `stable’.

 

I suspect anyone with a cold or the sniffles in Saudi Arabia right now suspects it’s really  MERS. The level of viral paranoia there is running understandably high. So, unless I can find reasonable confirmation of these stories, they won’t be appearing in this blog.

 

Although it is akin to going down the rabbit hole, for those with a desire to watch this passing twitter parade, the easiest solution is to use Google Chrome - with automatic translation ON – and use the url:

 

https://twitter.com/search?q=%D9%83%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%86%D8%A7&f=realtime

 

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has issued the following assurances:

 

Health Minister: We have noted the limited increases in cases of "Corona" and the situation is still Mtimn

Barqawi - already - RIYADH: Health Minister Dr..Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabiah, the situation for the Corona virus is still assured by the grace of God and that the number of cases that have appeared in Jeddah is no different from the rest of the regions of the Kingdom.

He explained that the ministry has noticed an increase limited number of cases of Corona virus "Mirs" During the past few weeks with the emergence of eleven case in Jeddah, but the number of cases in general is still low and does not represent an epidemic and thankfully according to World Health Organization standards and scientific committees.

He called on all citizens and residents not to be deceived by rumors or call you back unreliable in the means of social communication, asking the media to take the information from official sources accredited representative agency, the Ministry of Public Health or the Ministry's website or the official spokesman of the ministry, and has shown His Excellency that the ministry will make clear to all any information important in this regard and where they are on the clock to provide its website all the latest developments of the virus and the number of cases.

He called on everyone to follow instructions issued by the ministry and taking prevention to stay away from the suspected cases or wearing a mask and wash your hands when contact with cases of inflammation of the respiratory system and the need to comply with guidelines and tips awareness issued by the ministry in this regard.

He pointed out that the ministry is providing care customary in such cases, and they are in constant contact and full coordination with the World Health Organization and the scientific bodies of national and global per Newcomer, pointing Ma'aleh the National Scientific Committee for Infectious Diseases will meet her on Thursday to discuss the latest developments of the virus locally and internationally.

He concluded by saying that the Corona virus is still a mystery in the world and there is no confirmed information about modes of transmission, as there is no vaccine or cure of its own.

He asked God Almighty Sire to preserve this country and its leadership and its citizens and all those who live on the Theraha Taher of all evils.

 

WHO Twitter Messaging On Ebola

Credit World Health Organization 

 

# 8397

 

The news regarding the Ebola outbreak in the West African nation of Guinea continues to come in fast and furiously, and as often happens in these situations, we are seeing some inconsistencies.  

 

Yesterday, the BBC’s headline read Deadly Ebola virus reaches Guinea capital Conakry – UN.  Only to be replaced, a short time ago by:

 

Virus in Guinea capital Conakry not Ebola

24 March 2014 Last updated at 08:05 ET

Tests on suspected cases of deadly Ebola virus in Guinea's capital Conakry are negative, health officials say.

On Sunday, UN officials said that the virus had spread to the capital, a port city of up to two million, from remote forests in the south, where some 59 people have died.

But a World Health Organization spokesman told the BBC the Conakry tests had come back negative.

Ebola is spread by close contact and kills between 25% and 90% of victims.

 

Such are pitfalls of reporting from a remote location, and on a rapidly evolving situation. 

Attempting to keep all of this straight, and to correct the record when need be, has been Gregory Hartl – official spokesperson for the World Health Organization – and the @WHO twitter account. 

 

From Hartl’s twitter account this morning we get the following clarification, which no doubt inspired the above revised news alert.

 

 

Meanwhile, the @WHO twitter account is updating the Ebola situation as news become available, and is answering questions posed using the hashtag #AskEbola.

 

 

With more than 1 million followers, the WHO has recognized the value (and immediacy) of Twitter, and now routinely spenses breaking news and information first from their twitter account. To give you an idea of some of the social Media messaging the WHO is generating on Twitter, here a small excerpt from this morning.

 

With the instant news cycle of the Internet, the use and mastery of social media outlets like Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube are essential if agencies and organizations hope to get their message out to the public before it becomes `old news’.

 

The World Health Organization’s announcement a year ago that they would post updates on twitter first, and then post extended information on their website, is an acknowledgement that time, and the Internet, waits for no press release.

 

To keep current on the latest infectious disease news, in addition to following @WHO and @HaertlG, I would heartily recommend you add  @CDCgov, @CDCFlu, @CIDRAP, @FluTrackers , @HelenBranswell, @Crof, @maggiemfox, @MackayIM (and my own humble account @Fla_Medic ) to your twitter feed as well.

Some Sage Advice From The WHO

Twitter messages by WHO Spokesperson Gregory Hartl  10/16/13

 

# 7865

 

Yesterday’s announced H7N9 case in China – the first in two months – was hardly an unexpected development, as many public health agencies and organizations have openly discussed the likelihood of seeing new cases throughout the summer. 

 

It’s the reason that last week Hong Kong: held an Avian Influenza Drill, and that in late September we saw the following advice to hospitals from the Chinese CDC: Be Alert For H7N9.

In August, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Agency warned of the likely return of the virus (see FAO Warns On Bird Flu), and last week, in the World Health Organization’s   Influenza at the human-animal interface Summary and assessment, issued the following statement regarding H7N9:

 

Sporadic human cases and small clusters would not be unexpected in previously affected and possibly neighboring areas/countries of China

 

The big surprise this fall and winter would be for the virus to fail to return.  

 

Not unprecedented, of course.  The 1976 H1N1 swine flu pulled a disappearing act over the summer, never to be heard from again (see Deja Flu, All Over Again), as did the 1951 `Liverpool Flu’ (see Sometimes . . . Out Of The Blue).

Influenza is predictably unpredictable.

 

It is likely, however, that as cooler weather spread across the northern hemisphere, we will begin to see more cases of H7N9 . . . and probably H5N1 as well.  Add to that mix a smattering of MERS coronavirus cases  in the Middle East, and infuse that with our yearly seasonal flu epidemic . . .  and well, things are likely to get a bit hectic over the next few months.

 

AFD (and many others) will be watching, and reporting on the events of this upcoming flu season.  Those who were not closely following  the rollercoaster ride of 2006-2008 with H5N1, or the opening days of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic - when case reports were flying off the wires at breakneck speed - might find themselves a bit overwhelmed by the, at times, frenetic pace.

 

This year, admittedly, we are watching more novel disease fronts than usual.  But thus far none of these novel viruses has shown an ability to spread efficiently from human to human.  And we don’t know when, or even if, that might happen.

 

I think Crof was the one who originally said it,  but as long as we are able keep some kind of reasonable track of the cases, it’s a pretty good sign that things have not spun out of control.

 

The advice from the WHO today - that we should not be surprised to see more H7N9 cases - is not only good counsel, it is another example of the WHO getting out in front of an issue, and using social media to spread the word.   

 

And it’s one that I’m more than happy to pass along.

WHO Messaging On nCoV

 

 

# 7258

 

Of late, infectious disease blogging has me feeling a bit like an indecisive racetrack tout, unable to pick which horse to recommend.  On paper, H7N9 and nCoV (aka MERS) both appear to have some degree of pandemic potential, yet neither has much of a track record.

 

Our knowledge of where they come from, and how they are spreading to, and among, humans is very limited.

 

Making handicapping them, exceedingly difficult.

 

If that’s a dilemma for us bloggers, consider how tough it is for public health agencies and officials who must not only plan for any contingency, but also inform the public of any threat.

 

To that end, the World Health Organization has been using their  Twitter account (@WHO) quite effectively over the past six weeks to keep the public up to date on both emerging viruses. 

 

This morning – while we await word on (now three) contacts of the French nCoV patient who are being tested – WHO’s social media arm has been both busy, and forthright about the limits of what they know.

 

 

Of course, WHO is not alone.  

 

The CDC, ECDC, Hong Kong’s CHP, and other agencies have all been putting out fresh advisories, updates, and guidelines – just in case H7N9 or nCoV take off.

 

A common theme among them has been that these viruses are newly discovered, poorly understood, and that we don’t know how much of a threat they actually pose to global public health.

 

Admittedly, a difficult message for any public health agency to have to deliver.

 

But one that has the virtue of being absolutely true.

H7N9 Public Health Messaging On Twitter

 

 

 

# 7108

 

With more than a little uncertainty surrounding the future course and impact of the H7N9 virus, public health officials are trying to find the `right’ message to convey to the public – one that informs, without being unduly alarming.

 

It isn’t always easy, particularly when you consider the tendency of some in the tabloid media to take any statement and turn it into a `worst case’ headline.

 

Which may explain why yesterday the CDC announced the activation of their Emergency Operations Center (see CIDRAP: CDC Activates Limited EOC On H7N9) with little fanfare.

 

Although not currently showing a lot of activity, some of the CDC’s recent messaging on H7N9 via Twitter include:

 

With daily increases in cases counts (another 5 cases reported today) – but no signs of sustained human-to-human transmission - Gregory Hartl, spokesperson for the World Health Organization, tweeted the following reminder overnight.

 

 

A message that was expanded, and amplified, later this morning via the @WHO twitter feed.

 

 

With the instant news cycle of the Internet, the use and mastery of social media outlets like Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube are essential if agencies and organizations hope to get their message out to the public before it becomes `old news’.

 

The World Health Organization’s announcement last week that they would post updates on twitter first, and then post extended information on their website, is an acknowledgement that time, and the Internet, waits for no press release.

 

 

To keep current on the latest H7N9 news, in addition to following @WHO, @CDCFlu, and, @HaertlG, I would recommend you add  @FluTrackers, @HelenBranswell, @Crof, @maggiemfox and @Healthmap (and my own account @Fla_Medic ) to your twitter feed as well.

 

You can also search using the hash tag #H7N9 in order to find additional information, and people you may wish to follow.

Caveat Twitter

 

 

 

# 6693

 

 

As if the job facing local, state, and Federal emergency officials dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane/Hybrid Sandy were not enough of a challenge, FEMA is reporting that some people are spreading misinformation on social media platforms like Twitter, and Facebook.

 

This from last night’s FEMA BLOG.

 

Rumor Control

There is a lot of misinformation circulating on social networks. Check here for an on-going list of rumors and their true or false status.

• November 3: There have been recent blog posts and social media traffic expressing that FEMA is out of bottled water.  This is FALSE.  We are providing water to our state partners for distribution.
  For New York locations and times of food and water distribution centers and daytime warming centers, visit www.nyc.gov.
• November 3: There have been calls and posts from citizens related to the failure of the Old Bridge Township water system in Old Bridge, New Jersey. This is FALSE. The Old Bridge Municipal Utilities Authority (OBMUA) has reported that the water system is stable and safe and that there are no usage restrictions currently in place.
• November 3: Food stamps being given out to residents of New York and New Jersey as a part of FEMA assistance. This is FALSE. For information on the types of assistance available to those impacted by Sandy, call 1-800-621-FEMA.
• November 2: There is a spike of traffic related to FEMA hiring cleanup crews in both New York and New Jersey. This is FALSE. For information on how you can volunteer in these communities visit Serve.gov/sandy

 

The fault here doesn’t lie with the medium, but with the messenger. Why anyone would deliberately mislead people already suffering from a disaster is beyond my understanding, but some extremely small number of people out there do.

 

Most experts agree that Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms have provided excellent service during this, and other, crises.

 

As I wrote, more than three years ago in It Depends who you follow, being selective about who you follow on twitter – or `friend’ on Facebook – is your best defense against inane, annoying, or misleading messages.

 

During a crisis, like last week’s storm, many of us opened up our feeds using  hashtags like #SANDY or #Frankenstorm to try to gather as much information as we could from multiple sources. 

 

While useful, it is important to remember that this temporarily invites strangers into our feed, removing the filter of `trusted friends’ we normally maintain in our social media lives. 

 

All of which means that Caveat Lector – or in this case - Caveat Twitter, must be our guide. 

 

I’m a huge fan of twitter, and I used it every day.

 

But to avoid compounding a felony, I always think twice before re-tweeting a message from someone I don’t know well enough to trust. 

NIAID Video: Tracking Ebola In The Congo

 

 

# 6601

 

Once again, Ebola has been in the news this summer with outbreaks both in Uganda (see here & here) and the Democratic Republic of The Congo (see here and here).

 

While the Uganda outbreak appears to be over, the DRC outbreak continues (see Crof’s recent report DR Congo: Ebola toll rises to 36).

 

Today the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has posted a short (3 minute) video on their Youtube Channel that provides a fascinating look at the attempts of researchers to unravel the secrets of this hemorrhagic virus as they probe deep in the jungle.

 

 

 

Many government agencies maintain a presence on YouTube, where you can find tons of informative videos ranging from short PSAs to podcasts to full length webinars.

 

A few examples include:

 

CDCStreamingHealth

Federal Emergency Management Agency

NIAID

NIH Vodcast Episodes

Public Health Emergency (PHE)

USFoodandDrugAdmin

Health & Human Services

 

And last, but not least, the World Health Organization also maintains a Youtube Channel.

 

World Health Organization

 

Resources well worth checking out.

CDC’s Contagion Twitter Chat Continues Today

 

 

# 5852

 

A brief reminder, the CDC’s Twitter chat on how they would handle a real-life disease outbreak similar to what is fictionalized in the movie Contagion continues later today.

 

The hashtag to follow the conversation is #CDCcontagion.

 

 

Are you Ready? #CDCcontagion Live Twitter Chats

Date: Friday, September 16 and Monday, September 19

Time: 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 pm Eastern

Location: http://twitter.com/CDCgov

How would CDC control an outbreak? What really happens when CDC disease detectives are tracking diseases?

 

You′ve heard about Contagion; now get the facts about outbreak investigations from real–life CDC disease detectives. On Friday, September 16th, join CDC expert, Dr. Jennifer McQuiston for a LIVE Twitter chat to learn first–hand how CDC investigates deadly diseases and protects against their spread. 

 

Then on Monday, September 19th, talk with some of CDC′s Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officers. Kate Winslet plays one in Contagion–learn more about what it′s really like to be an EIS officer!

 

Want to join the conversation? Follow #CDCcontagion during the chat. If you can′t participate during the event, you can still submit questions in advance to @CDCgov (include the #CDCcontagion hashtag) or on CDC′s Facebook page at any time before the event.

 

A few earlier blogs on the movie Contagion  include:

 

The `Contagion’ Conversation Continues

Why You Should Catch `Contagion’

The Scientific Plausibility of `Contagion’

CDC To Hold Live Contagion Chat Tomorrow On Twitter

 

 

# 5842

 

The buzz generated by the release last week of Steven Soderbergh’s movie `Contagion’ has led to an increased public awareness of pandemic threats. Understandably, agencies and organizations that deal with public health concerns are using this opportunity to expand the conversation.

 

Tomorrow (Friday Sept 16th) between 2pm and 3pm EST, the CDC will hold a Twitter Chat on how the CDC would manage an outbreak of an emerging infectious disease.

 

The hashtag to follow the conversation is #CDCcontagion.

 

On Monday (Sept 19th) the CDC will hold another chat with members of the of CDC′s Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS).

 

For details, follow the link below.

 

 

 

Are you Ready? #CDCcontagion Live Twitter Chats

Date: Friday, September 16 and Monday, September 19

Time: 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 pm Eastern

Location: http://twitter.com/CDCgov

How would CDC control an outbreak? What really happens when CDC disease detectives are tracking diseases?

 

You′ve heard about Contagion; now get the facts about outbreak investigations from real–life CDC disease detectives. On Friday, September 16th, join CDC expert, Dr. Jennifer McQuiston for a LIVE Twitter chat to learn first–hand how CDC investigates deadly diseases and protects against their spread.

 

Then on Monday, September 19th, talk with some of CDC′s Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officers. Kate Winslet plays one in Contagion–learn more about what it′s really like to be an EIS officer!

 

Want to join the conversation? Follow #CDCcontagion during the chat. If you can′t participate during the event, you can still submit questions in advance to @CDCgov (include the #CDCcontagion hashtag) or on CDC′s Facebook page at any time before the event.

CDC Webinar: Leveraging Social Media For Disaster Preparedness

 

 

 

# 5796

 

 

Tomorrow, August 31st from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM EDT, the CDC will present a webinar on the role of social media in disaster preparedness.

Details on how to attend online can be found at the web page below.

 

 

Leveraging Social Media for Disaster Preparedness

Join us on Wednesday, August 31st, 2011 1:00 PM (ET) for a special webinar presentation "Leveraging Social Media for Disaster Preparedness."

 

This presentation will begin by laying out the major areas where social media is being used in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. The presenter will discuss the ways that social media can be leveraged to enhance situational awareness, strengthen operational aspects of response, support recovery efforts, and build community resilience.

(Continue . . . )

The CDC’s Zombies Go Viral

 

 

# 5562

 

 

On Tuesday in The CDC And The Zombie Apocalypse, I wrote about a very clever (and effective) preparedness essay written by Rear Admiral Ali S. Khan who told us that if we are prepared for a Zombie Apocalypse . . . we’re pretty much prepared for anything.

 

Once the news of a `zombie’ blog appearing on the CDC site went viral on Twitter, the number of visitors to the Public Health Matters Blog  temporarily overwhelmed their server.

 

 

Today, I see the CDC has unveiled a series of `Zombie’ widgets and badges (I’ve one posted on my sidebar) to tie in with that blog.   You can grab them from the Emergency Preparedness and Response social media page.

 

Social Media: Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse

Buttons and Badges

Buttons and badges share health messages and information about campaigns and causes online. These graphic elements can be posted to any web site, blog, social networking profile, or email signature and link users to more information.

 

 

 

I’m very pleased to see that more and more, government agencies are really starting to `get it’, when it comes to tapping into the power of the `new media’.

 

Craig Fugate, director of FEMA, often incorporates gentle humor in his Twitter posts. By doing so, his `catchy’ messages are more likely to be retweeted by his followers, and remembered by the public. 

 

This week’s zombie post from the CDC illustrates that the use of popular culture, a bit of whimsy, and a conversational tone (something sadly lacking in a lot of `official blogs’) can be very effective in getting a message out.

 

Particularly to hard-to-reach audiences like teenagers and young adults.

 

Hopefully the success of this zombie campaign will inspire other governmental agencies to look at ways to get their messages out in unconventional formats.

 

In the meantime, kudos go to the CDC, HHS, and FEMA for being willing to try something bold and just a tiny bit controversial.

Twitter Volunteers Translate Emergency Manual

 

 

# 5402

 

http://nip0.wordpress.com/

 

While there may be some who doubt the value and intentions of social media during a crisis, students from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies have used the power of Twitter to enlist the aid of dozens of volunteers to translate an online earthquake help page/manual into more than two dozen different languages.

 

The ABOUT section of the webpage states:

 

This project started from just one TUFS university student from statement on Twitter. Since the magic of twitter, a large number of people turned into strong supporters who built up number of teams to make all the translation, more than 24 languages.

 

While this manual won’t win any prose awards (it is basically a list of items, resources and advice), it does provide a quick reference for those trapped in the midst of a major disaster.

 

This report from Antara News.

 

Volunteers translate quake manual to 31 languages for non-Japanese

 

Wed, March 16 2011 16:34 | 95 Views

Tokyo (ANTARA News/Kyodo-OANA) - An emergency online earthquake manual has been translated into 31 languages as of Wednesday afternoon by Japanese volunteers to support non-Japanese living in Japan in the wake of Friday`s magnitude 9.0 quake.

 

The manual, called ``Japan earthquake: How to protect yourself`` in English, lists practical advice, such as ``move to higher ground if you are near the ocean,`` and how to use emergency message services, as well as goods that should be kept in stock to prepare for an earthquake.

 

The languages include those spoken by small groups in Japan, such as Burmese and Latvian, as well as German, French, Chinese and Korean.

 

Translation volunteers gathered in a wink in response to a request made via Twitter by students from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, they said.

Getting My Daily Twitter Fix

 

 

 

#5291

 

For those of us who remember the single-line BBS (bulletin board systems) of the early 1980s, back when MS-DOS 2.11 was king, and a 1200 baud modem was an upgrade, today’s instant communications on the Internet seems almost miraculous.

 

Email didn’t exist back then.

 

But you could leave a message for someone else who used the same BBS system, disconnect, and check back in a day or two for a reply.

 

Times have certainly changed.   Today, between email and Twitter, we can get real-time updates from hundreds of friends in a continual flow of information across our desktops.

 

The problem is, keeping up. 

 

Particularly with Twitter, which can easily send you thousands of `tweets’ in a single day.  

 

I  use a small app (Echofon) added into my Firefox browser that handles tweets very well, holding them in a queue until I choose to view them.

 

While that helps enormously, I still miss out on a lot of valuable content that streams from those that I follow.  Articles and blogs that I really would like to follow up and read, but haven’t the time to click and read as they come across my twitter app. 

 

A couple of months ago I mentioned the Emergency Management (EM) Daily, a `twitter newspaper’ created using paper.li.

 

Every 24 hours this paper is electronically published, with highlights and links to the best content `tweeted’ by those followed by @AllHandsDotNet, which is the twitter  account for http://www.all-hands.net.

 

 

Each edition is apt to have a couple of hundred linked articles, easily arranged into 8 or 9 broad categories for quick viewing.

 

This twitter newspaper has been a godsend, enabling me to go back and pick up on information I had missed. I’ve since added 5 more daily Twitter newspapers to my reading list, and hope to discover more over time.

 

These genre based newspapers are a terrific way to quickly scan the wealth of content published online over the previous 24 hours. 

 

In addition to The EM Daily, I also read:

 

The microbiology Daily

As shared by 93 people on Cesar Sanchez’s Twitter list

 

The Sciencemob Daily

As shared by 118 people on Liz Ditz’s Twitter list

 

 

The MicrobiologyBytes Daily

As shared by MicrobiologyBytes + 33 followed people on Twitter

 

 

The Daily Ren

As shared by Rene F. Najera, MPH + 77 followed people on Twitter

 

 

Food & Agriculture Spotlight

As shared by 212 people on FAO Media Centre’s Twitter list

 

 

You can search for newspapers that cover topics you may be interested in at http://paper.li/, and yes, you can create your own online newspaper as well.

 

 

 

If you are looking for a better way to keep track of the avalanche of information that flows continually across the twitterverse, pick a couple of papers that cater to your interests, and give it a go.

 

Just as with your Twitter feed, the quality and reliability of the information in these newspapers will depend upon the quality and reliability of the people they follow.  

 

So examine the list of each paper’s daily contributors, and choose your Daily Newspapers wisely. 

 

And as always, Caveat Lector.

Influenza Social Media Toolkits

 

 

 

# 4973

 

 

With the 2010-2011 Northern Hemisphere influenza season upon us, the CDC and the HHS are providing a number of new tools this year for website owners, and those with a social media (Facebook, Myspace, Blogspot, etc.) presence to help spread the word on how to prevent or deal with the flu.

 

They are in hopes that with the help of thousands of netizens, they can better get the word out about the importance of seasonal flu vaccinations and good respiratory illness etiquette and hygiene.

 

 

You may notice that once again this year, I’ve placed a new FLU.GOV  logo at the top of my sidebar.

 

You’ll find that you can embed everything from Flu shot locator applet to an H1N1 Flu Self-Evaluation program, that will ask questions and help you determine if you have the flu or not.

 

Each comes with a small snippet of HTML code you can insert into your site.  The one below adds a small Vaccine locator applet, that allows visitors to input their zip code to get a list of vaccine clinics in their area.

 

 

 

From the Flu.gov website.

 

Social Media

Social media provides a unique opportunity to engage the public on critical public health issues such as H1N1 (Swine) flu. To encourage information sharing, collaboration, and interactivity, Flu.gov and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed the tools listed below.

Available widgets

A widget is an application that displays the featured content directly on personalized home pages, blogs, and other sites. After embedding the widget using the code provided, no maintenance is required. Flu.gov and CDC will update the content automatically.

• Flu Vaccine Locator Widget (small)
• Flu Vaccine Locator Widget (large)
• H1N1 Flu Self-Evaluation
• Know What to Do About the Flu  (en Español)
• H1N1 Map widget
• Flu.gov News Widget
• FDA Fraudulent H1N1 Products Widget
• CDC Widgets (CDC.gov/widgets)

There are also a wide array of buttons and badges available centering around this year’s slogan “The Flu Ends With U” which you can find (in English and en Español) at:

 

Flu Season Buttons and Badges Free Web Tools

 

 

 

Other free resources available include:

 

Video/ Audio Tools

This page lists all Podcasts, Videos and PSAs related to seasonal influenza.

Web Tools

Click on the web tools to add banners, buttons and badges to your website; these will link back to CDC's flu website.

You can download and send ecards to patients, family, and friends to encourage flu vaccination, in addition to viewing and responding to blogs.

 

 

The CDC uses social media themselves to spread the word on influenza – and other public health concerns – including the use of video and audio podcasts.  

 

• The HHS YouTube Channel
• CDCStreamingHealth YouTube Channel
• Flu.gov Audio Podcasts

 

You can also keep up Flu.gov on TWITTER by joining more than 10,000 others that follow @FluGov.

Their latest tweet tells us that there will be a live webcast this Wednesday.

 

Last week the CDC released a toolkit for employers to help reduce the burden of influenza in the workplace.

 

Seasonal Flu Information for Businesses & Employees

The purpose of "Make It Your Business To Fight The Flu: A Toolkit for Businesses and Employers" is to provide information and recommended strategies to help businesses and employers promote the 2010 - 2011 seasonal flu vaccine.

 

Make It Your Business To Fight The Flu: A Toolkit for Businesses and Employers [Entire Toolkit, 2.72 MB, 7 ½" x 10"]

 

You can also download individual components of the toolkit from this link.

 

And lastly, the CDC provides dozens of free posters, pamphlets, and flyers you can download and printout for your home or office, targeted to a variety of demographic groups.

 

 

Given the amount of scandalously bad information about the safety and efficacy of influenza vaccines circulating on the Internet, putting up a badge or a button on your site may help someone to make an informed decision this year.

A Facelift For FEMA.GOV

 

# 4801

 

 

FEMA has reworked their website’s entry page at http://www.fema.gov/ to put public preparedness and disaster information up front for easier access.

 

 

Whether you are looking for the latest news about FEMA and its disaster responses, or need to apply for disaster assistance, or want to learn how to prepare before a disaster strikes . . . the resources are readily available.

 

You can also get updates by following @FEMA on Twitter or visiting http://www.facebook.com/FEMA on FACEBOOK.

 

You’ll also find quick links on the front page to multimedia content like videos, widgets, RSS Feeds and photos.

 

They’ve made some good changes, and just in time for next month’s National Preparedness Month.

 

Check it out.

Reminder: Red Cross Online Summit Today

 

 

# 4800

 

 

Later today the Red Cross will begin an online summit on Emergency uses of social media. 

 

John Solomon wrote a terrific blog on some of the issues that will be addressed earlier this week called (truncated) New Red Cross Study Finds Web Users Would Turn To Social Media In Emergencies.

 

 

Details of the summit are below, followed by ways you can follow it online.

 

Emergency Social Data Summit

What

Emergency Social Data Summit

Social media has changed how people communicate, including their calls for help. Now, people Tweet, update Facebook statuses, and text about natural disasters. Emergency and disaster response organizations are working to develop a process to address this and harness the communication power of new media.

Who

The American Red Cross is hosting the Emergency Social Data Summit to bring together government agencies, emergency management professionals, disaster response organizations, tech companies and concerned citizens to address how to reply to these digital cries for help more effectively.

You can read the full agenda here.

When

Thursday, August 12 from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm ET

(Continue. . . )

Since personal attendance is by invitation only, the event will be broadcast on the internet and details relayed via social media outlets.

 

The Hashtag to follow on Twitter is #crisisdata.

 

Other ways to watch, or follow this summit listed on the Red Cross summit site include:

 

• The Emergency Social Data blog,
• The event will be ustreamed live via the NextGenWeb site /li>
• Register on Eventbrite for ustream details.
• The archived U-Stream will be available online, too, and on the Emergency Social Data blog.
• In person attendees will update their observations and impressions via the Whrrl Emergency Social Data Society .
• Add or comment on the Summit’s aggregated information via the Emergency Social Data Wiki

Red Cross Emergency Social Data Summit

 

 

# 4793

 

 

A hat tip and a thank you to the reader who sent me information on the Red Cross summit on Emergency uses of social media to be held later this week (Aug 12th, 2010).

 

For some background on it, John Solomon wrote a terrific blog yesterday on it called (truncated) New Red Cross Study Finds Web Users Would Turn To Social Media In Emergencies.

 

 

In order to help promote greater awareness of this event, the details of the summit are below, followed by ways you can follow it online.

 

Emergency Social Data Summit

What
Emergency Social Data Summit

 

Social media has changed how people communicate, including their calls for help. Now, people Tweet, update Facebook statuses, and text about natural disasters. Emergency and disaster response organizations are working to develop a process to address this and harness the communication power of new media.

 

Who

 

The American Red Cross is hosting the Emergency Social Data Summit to bring together government agencies, emergency management professionals, disaster response organizations, tech companies and concerned citizens to address how to reply to these digital cries for help more effectively.

 

You can read the full agenda here.

 

When

Thursday, August 12 from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm ET

(Continue. . . )

Since personal attendance is by invitation only, the event will be broadcast on the internet and details relayed via social media outlets.

The Hashtag to follow on Twitter is #crisisdata.

Other ways to watch, or follow this summit listed on the Red Cross summit site include:

 

• The Emergency Social Data blog,
• The event will be ustreamed live via the NextGenWeb site /li>
• Register on Eventbrite for ustream details.
• The archived U-Stream will be available online, too, and on the Emergency Social Data blog.
• In person attendees will update their observations and impressions via the Whrrl Emergency Social Data Society .
• Add or comment on the Summit’s aggregated information via the Emergency Social Data Wiki

 

For other Red Cross social media/internet tools you might wish to check out yesterday’s blog on Red Cross Updates Safe & Well Tool.

Social Media Resources For This Year’s Hurricane Season

 

 

# 4652

 

FEMA, along with NOAA  and the American Red Cross  have put together a number of online social media resources for this year’s hurricane season  (and any other disaster that might come along).

Clicking the image below will take you to a PDF file with clickable links for each venue.

 

 

Even if you aren’t heavily into social media portals like Facebook, following these agencies on Twitter is an easy and painless introduction to this growing trend.

Five good accounts to get started with (along with @FLA_MEDIC, of course) are:

 

www.twitter.com/femainfocus

www.twitter.com/craigatfema

www.twitter.com/usnoaagov

www.twitter.com/usoceangov

www.twitter.com/redcross

 

For more on using twitter, you might wish to read a couple of my old blogs; Life Is Tweet and It Depends Who You Follow.