Social Media at CDC

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Peanut Butter and Peanut-Containing Product Recalls Related to Salmonella Infections

Overview

During the Salmonella Typhimurium event of early 2009 and the associated recalls of numerous peanut butter and peanut-containing products, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) worked together to develop an integrated social media campaign. The goal of the campaign was to provide consumers and partners with social media tools to access up-to-date information about the recalls.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are working together to provide consumers and partners with social media tools to access information about the ongoing peanut butter and peanut-containing product recalls. This page will be updated as new communication approaches are employed.

Blogs

Learn more about the peanut butter and peanut-containing product recalls through blogs. The following blogs provide information about the product recalls and outbreak investigations, and each encourages comments and conversations related to the blog posts.

HHS Peanut Product Recall Blog (HHS)
This new blog will include posts from CDC, FDA and HHS representative.
CDC National Center for Zoonotic, Vector Borne, and Enteric Diseases (NCZVED) (CDC)
On the Public Health Matters Blog: Ingredient Driven Outbreaks: The Inside is Bigger than the Outside

Learn more about CDC's use of blogs at CDC.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/Blogs.html

Bloginars

Webinar for Bloggers

The webinar held on February 3rd, 2009, gave blog writers the chance to speak with FDA and CDC subject matter experts about the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak efforts and future resources for bloggers during food safety incidents.

For more information about this event or to participate, please email NCHMInteractiveMedia@cdc.gov
More about CDC blog efforts

For more information about CDC bloginars, visit CDC.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/Bloginars.html

Buttons and Badges

Add a badge to your social network profile. Let your friends know that you support healthy choices and encourage them to do the same by placing one of these badges on your social network profile page.

Salmonella Badges page

Find out how CDC is using buttons and badges at CDC.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/ButtonsBadges.html

Content Syndication

Syndicate information about the Salmonella outbreak to your Web pages. Content Syndication is a technical application that allows CDC partners to mirror CDC's Web content within their own sites. Web content from a CDC.gov page is exported to a partner Web site to display within the partner's Web pages. Because this is a technical application, the content is automatically updated, meaning that every time a change is made to the CDC.gov Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak Web page that change is automatically made on the partner's Web page. Content syndication provides a streamlined process for disseminating current and credible content in real-time on other Web sites. (CDC)

Below is an example:

Screen capture: Webpage with syndicated content

A CDC.gov page with Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak information:

A partner page that uses syndication to display automatically updated CDC content:

For more information about Content Syndication, please email: imtech@cdc.gov.

Learn more information about CDC Content Syndication

CDC-INFO

Have questions about the peanut butter and peanut-containing product recalls? Representatives are available 24/7 to answer your questions in English and Spanish. For up-to-date information about the recalls and hundreds of other health and safety topics:

Call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636), TTY: (888) 232-6348, English/Spanish, 24 Hours/Every Day
Email: cdcinfo@cdc.gov
Postal Mail:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta
GA 30333, U.S.A.

Learn more about CDC-INFO at CDC.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/CDC-INFO.html

eCards

Keep your friends, family and coworkers informed. Send them tips for staying healthy:

CDC Health-e-Cards (CDC)
Send cards to friends and family about peanut butter and peanut-containing product recalls, the Super Bowl, and much more.

View more information about CDC eCards

Micro-blogs (Twitter)

Follow updates from FDA and CDC on Twitter:

FDA's Recall Twitter feed (FDA)
Information and updates on FDA food and drug related recalls including the peanut butter and peanut-containing product recalls
CDC's new Twitter feed for Emergency Information (CDC)
Emergency announcements from CDC and partner agencies
CDC's Twitter feed for Health Professionals (CDC)
For interested Health Professionals interested in staying up-to-date with CDC's interactive media activities (includes alerts of when new mobile content and widgets are released by CDC)

Learn more about CDC's use of Micro-Blogs, such as Twitter at CDC.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/MircoBlogs.html

Mobile

Access important CDC and FDA information about peanut butter and peanut-containing product recalls via the new mobile CDC Web site:

Point your mobile browser to http://m.cdc.gov (CDC)

For information about CDC's mobile efforts, visit CDC.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/Mobile.html

Text Messages

Send a text message to your mobile subscribers. If you have a list of subscribers for text message updates, here is a message that HHS, FDA and CDC created for dissemination through local text messaging networks. (CDC)

US GOV/HHS Health Alert: Get peanut butter recall info at FDA: http://www.fda.gov/salmonella or CDC: 800-232-4636. More:http://m.cdc.gov

Find out how CDC is using text messaging at CDC.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/Mobile.html

Online Video

Watch a video from the FDA on things you should know during the peanut butter and peanut-containing product recalls. Watch the video on any of the following Web sites:

Dos and Don'ts During the Peanut Salmonella Outbreak: FDAs Dr. Stephen Sundlof (FDA)
FDA YouTube Channel (FDA)
CDC YouTube Channel (CDC)

Visit CDC.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/OnlineVideo.html for more on CDC's use of online video.

Podcasts

Listen to podcasts with current information about the peanut butter and peanut-containing product recall and the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak. You can watch any of these podcasts from your computer or download them to an MP3 player or mobile device.

(English) Salmonella Serotype Typhimurium Outbreak in Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter-Containing Products (CDC)
Listen To This Podcast... (3:41) This podcast discusses the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak in peanut butter and peanut butter-containing products. (Created: 1/21/2009 by National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-borne, and Enteric Diseases (NCZVED))
Date Released: 1/21/2009

(Spanish) Brotes infecciosos causados por Salmonella typhimurium en la mantequilla de maní y otros productos que la contienen(CDC)
Listen To This Podcast... (3:48) Este podcast habla sobre los brotes infecciosos causados por Salmonella typhimurium en la mantequilla de maní y otros productos que la contienen. (Created: 1/21/2009 by National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-borne, and Enteric Diseases (NCZVED))
Date Released: 1/23/2009

(English) What Kids Need to Know About Peanut Butter and Salmonella (CDC)
Listen To This Podcast... (2:49) This podcast explains the recent Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak in peanut butter and peanut butter-containing products to children. (Created: 1/26/2009 by National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-borne, and Enteric Diseases (NCZVED))
Date Released: 1/26/2009

Learn more about CDC Podcasts at CDC.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/Podcasts.html

RSS Feeds

Subscribe to RSS updates for ongoing news related to the peanut butter and peanut-containing product recalls. News and alerts will be delivered directly to your RSS reader when you sign-up for the following RSS feeds:

CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response: What's New (CDC)
FDA RSS Activities (FDA)
More About CDC RSS Activities (CDC)

For more information about CDC RSS, visit CDC.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/RSS.html

Social Networking Sites

Stay informed about the ongoing peanut butter and peanut-containing product recall through CDC's social network profiles:

CDC on MySpace (CDC)
CDC on DailyStrength (CDC)

Find out more about CDC's participation in Social Networking sites.

Widgets

Add a widget to your homepage and get updated recall information and resources. The following widgets have been created to disseminate information related to the peanut butter and peanut-containing product recalls. Once you've added a widget to your homepage, blog, or Web site, the content will automatically update with current information.

Available Widgets:

Search for peanut butter product recalls (CDC)
Enables searching by brand name, product description, and more.
Current U.S map of reported Salmonella Typhimurium cases (CDC)
Everyday Health tips for consumers (CDC)
Includes information on the peanut butter and peanut-containing product recall.
More about CDC widgets (CDC)

Learn more about CDC Widgets at CDC.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/Widgets.html

Virtual Worlds

Access recall and outbreak investigation information from the virtual world Second Life. In addition to the virtual lab, awareness bracelets and biohazard suits, visitors to the CDC Second Life island can now find the following in-world information related to the peanut butter and peanut-containing product recall: streaming podcasts for adults and children, an in-world notice about the outbreak, and links to CDC information and the FDA database of product recalls.