Webinar Description:
When a new disease presents itself, public health and healthcare workers must respond while facing challenges beyond what is involved in traditional infectious disease management. The unique challenges of emerging infectious diseases include an increased need for trust and communication with the public, personal protective measures, and collaboration with colleagues across agencies and disciplines. New diseases often cause an amount of fear and miscommunication, due to the unknown aspects of the disease, and changing guidelines as we learn more about it. Each time we see a new disease, or the reemergence of an old one, it can feel as if we are learning anew. Yet, there are sound practices that we have learned over time relating to both protecting responder health and safety and managing the system-wide response.

What are the common themes that occur repeatedly with EID response? Although EID’s come with a number of unknowns, what evidence-based practices can we turn to that we are certain are effective? This webinar will introduce these challenges and review foundational concepts that will be expanded upon for the remainder of the training series.

Learning Objectives:
By the conclusion of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Define the term “emerging infectious disease” used in this training series and provide examples
2. Discuss the unique impacts of EID’s
3. Recall reasons why recommended protective measures are effective for infection control
4. Discuss key challenges of an effective public health and healthcare response to an EID outbreak
5. Summarize key concepts related to the management of EID response

Speakers:
Alfred DeMaria, Jr., M.D.
Medical Director, Bureau of Infectious Disease Prevention, 
Response and Services
Massachusetts Department of Public Health

M. Anita Barry, MD, MPH
Director, Infectious Disease Bureau
Boston Public Health Commission

Mea E. Allen
Associate Director, Education & Training
Office of Public Health Preparedness
Boston Public Health Commission

Recording:

• Webinar #1: Core Concepts

Webinar Description:
As with any type of hazard, it is imperative that we draw upon experience from past outbreaks to build collective wisdom and foster continual improvement. With emerging infectious diseases, this is particularly challenging given that such outbreaks often occur years apart and in distant communities all over the world.

This webinar will examine best practices and weaknesses uncovered from EID response efforts in recent decades, such as the SARS outbreak in 2003, the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, and Ebola, among others. Participants will learn how EID response efforts from our recent past can be applied to better prepare us to respond to future EID epidemics.

Learning Objectives:
By the conclusion of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Describe the role that prior EID outbreaks play in helping us to plan for and respond to EID outbreaks today and in the future
2. Recall factors that have contributed to outbreaks of EIDs in the last 30 years
3. Summarize the lessons learned from historical EID response efforts
4. Explain how lessons learned from historical EID response efforts can be applied to address current EID risks in Massachusetts

Speakers:
Jeffrey K. Griffiths, MD, AB, MPH&TM
Professor of Public Health, and of Medicine
Tufts University

Mea E. Allen, MS
Associate Director, Education & Training
Office of Public Health Preparedness
Boston Public Health Commission

Ashley Miller, MPH
Emergency Preparedness Educator
Office of Public Health Preparedness
Boston Public Health Commission

Recording:

• Webinar #2: Learning from the Past

Webinar Description:
In September 2014, the first Ebola patient in the US was diagnosed in Dallas. From the day of that diagnosis, and for weeks afterward, public health, healthcare, and EMS agencies in Dallas County were working in a context very different from the day-to-day routine. Join us for a look behind the scenes of the multi-agency response, including how lessons observed in 2014 are informing planning and response actions today.

Learning Objectives:
By the conclusion of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. State the purpose of the webinar
2. Summarize the initial actions upon confirmed diagnosis of Ebola, and ongoing considerations for a collaborative response from public health and EMS, and other healthcare agencies
3. Describe key lessons observed from the EMS and public health perspectives during the response to and recovery from this incident
4. Discuss how lessons observed from this incident may inform planning and response actions in future incidents impacting one’s own agency
5. Summarize webinar key messages and complete the webinar evaluation

Speakers:
Wendy Chung, MD
Chief Epidemiologist, Dallas County Health and Human Services

Marshal Isaacs, MD, FACEP
Medical Director, Dallas Fire-Rescue Department

Norman Seals
Assistant Chief, Emergency Medical Service Bureau, Dallas Fire-Rescue Department

Dr. Sophia Dyer, MD, FACEP
Medical Director, Boston EMS, BPD, BFD

Mea E. Allen, MS
Associate Director, Education & Training
Office of Public Health Preparedness
Boston Public Health Commission

Recording

• Webinar #3: Examining the Present