A Message from the Editor
August 17, 2009
The Atlanta Human Resources Center has launched the Retiree Reemployment Program (RRP). This will allow augmentation of CDC staff with well-qualified professionals who previously retired from CDC or other federal agencies. The RRP will assist in expediting CDC's hiring process for temporary positions during times of special public health emergency situations.
AHRC is currently accepting applications from individuals interested in participating in the RRP. Retirees interested in being considered for future vacancies should submit their information to RemployedAnnuitant@cdc.gov.
For more information, please visit CDC's Reemployed Annuitant page or contact AHRC Customer Service at hrcs@cdc.gov or (770) 488-1725.
Warm Regards,
CDC Partnerships
CDC Headlines
Evaluation of Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Tests
The August 6, 2009, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report article, "Evaluation of Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Tests for Detection of Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus—United States, 2009," reported on an evaluation of the ability of three commercially available rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs) to detect novel influenza A (H1N1). RIDTs from three companies were reviewed and results indicate that these tests can detect novel influenza A (H1N1) in respiratory specimens, but the overall sensitivities ranged from 40–69 percent compared to a real time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) test. This means that many influenza infections will be missed by RIDTs. >> read the full text
Exlusion Period Update: People with Influenza-like Illness
On August 5, 2009, CDC changed its recommendation related to the amount of time people with influenza-like illness should stay away from others (the exclusion period). New guidance indicates that people with influenza-like illness should stay home, except to seek medical care or other necessities, for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone (without the use of fever-reducing medicine). This is a change from the previous recommendation that ill persons stay home for 7 days after illness onset or until 24 hours after the resolution of symptoms, whichever was longer. >> read the full text
Updated CDC Guidance for Schools for the Fall Flu Season
CDC has provided updated guidance to help decrease the spread of flu among students and school staff during the 2009–2010 school year. The guidance expands upon earlier school guidance documents by providing a menu of tools that school and health officials can choose from based on conditions in their area. It recommends actions to take this school year and suggests strategies to use if CDC finds that the flu starts causing more severe disease. The guidance also provides a checklist for making decisions at the local level. >> read the full text
Events and Seminars
All events and seminars listed are open to CDC's partners. For more information, contact the POC listed. >> read the full text
August 2009
Consequential Matters
Hosted by CDC's Global Health Odyssey Museum and the Office of Sustainability
June 15–September 11
2009 NDEP Partnership Network Meeting
Hosted by CDC and the National Institutes of Health
August 17–18
2009 National HIV Prevention Conference
Hosted by numerous agencies and national programs
August 23–26
Public Health Information Network (PHIN) Conference 2009
Hosted by the National Center for Public Health Informatics (NCPHI) and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
August 30–September 3
October 2009
2009 National Environmental Public Health Conference
Hosted by CDC's National Center for Environmental Health, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and National Environmental Health Association
October 26–28
CDC Personnel
Personnel Changes
CAPT Denise Koo, MD, MPH, will serve a detail as acting director, Office of Workforce and Career Development, effective immediately.
Effective immediately, Les Lenert, MD, MS, will be detailed to serve as special advisor to Ileana Arias, PhD, CDC/ATSDR acting deputy director, in the Office of the Director.
Steve Thacker, MD, MPH, will serve as acting director of the National Center for Public Health Informatics, effective immediately.
Get Informed
CDC…Permission Granted (Podcast)
Novel H1N1 Flu Situation Update
CDC Partnership Matters: Reader's Feedback
The bi-weekly update is prepared by CDC's Division of Partnership and Strategic Alliances. Readers are welcome to comment by
e-mail to cdcpartnerships@cdc.gov.
