Plague Practice: Washington State Prepares For The Worst
read on
If there’s a disease outbreak in Washington state, health officials want to be prepared.
This week, the state’s Department of Health is hosting a statewide drill to practice sending out medicine as quickly as possible.
The simulation: the plague has spread across Washington.
The Department of Health, Washington State Military Department and other partners will use planes and trucks to distribute faux medication to every county. Their goal is to disperse medications within 48 hours, as if it were a real emergency. Local pharmacies and health offices will accept the supplies and prepare as if they’d distribute them to patients.
“The plague outbreak is just one potential scenario of a bio-terrorism incident that we might encounter if someone was intentionally releasing the bacteria in our communities,” said John Wiesman, secretary of health for Washington state.
Wiesman said that scenario is unlikely, but will help the state develop rapid response skills.
“Frankly it’s a good test for other issues as well, if we had a pandemic flu for example, and we needed to get out antiviral medications, or if we had to get vaccines out to people. It could even be like wildfires where we have to get respirators out.”
The drill will cost the state about $66,000, according to DOH.
Wiesman says it’s a worthy investment, because they’d rather find problems in their distribution system now, rather than when they’re trying to get disease treatment to people.
Copyright 2019 KUOW
Related Stories:
Okanogan Public Health Workers Report Hostile Threats And Fears About Contact Tracing
Online misinformation is fueling a backlash in some places against coronavirus containment strategies such as contact tracing and isolation. Some health officials have even received violent threats. Continue Reading Okanogan Public Health Workers Report Hostile Threats And Fears About Contact Tracing
No Evidence Hydroxychloroquine Is Helpful In Preventing COVID-19, Study Finds
A study of more than 800 health workers, first responders and others finds that taking hydroxychloroquine to prevent COVID-19 is no better than a placebo in preventing the illness. Continue Reading No Evidence Hydroxychloroquine Is Helpful In Preventing COVID-19, Study Finds
‘Public Health Has Been Politicized’: Spokane Case Highlights Complexity In Quarantine Orders
As the coronavirus pandemic continues across the world, local health officials in Washington are beginning to employ a power given to them by state law that allows to keep contagious people in quarantine. Continue Reading ‘Public Health Has Been Politicized’: Spokane Case Highlights Complexity In Quarantine Orders
