In January, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response (COTPER) released its inaugural report on CDC activities in public health emergency preparedness. The report explains the key role CDC plays in preparing the public health infrastructure to respond effectively to all types of hazards, and provides an overview of the broad range of preparedness activities receiving Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response (TPER) funding. The report also details how CDC is addressing challenges to achieve its overarching public health preparedness goal, to prepare people for emerging health threats.

MMWR Reports of Interest

• Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Infections Associated with Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter Containing Products, United States, 2008 - 2009
• Multistate Outbreaks of Salmonella Infections Associated with Live Poultry United States, 2007
• Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Among Players on a High School Football Team, New York City, 2007
• Invasive Haemophilus influenzae Type B Disease in Five Young Children, Minnesota, 2008
• Updated Guidelines for the Use of Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests in the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis
• Plan to Combat Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis, Recommendations of the Federal Tuberculosis Task Force

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted its annual National Coverage Decision Coding Policy Manual and Change Report for 2009. Included in this report is an updated lab code list.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a plan that establishes a set of five-year national prevention targets to reduce and possibly eliminate health care-associated infections (HAIs). 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration has launched an online repository of information and resources about the healthcare workforce. The Health Workforce Information Center, operated by the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, provides the latest information on health workforce programs and funding sources; workforce data, research, and policy; educational opportunities and models; and news and events.