Stories from the Field

The importance of training and preparedness exercises cannot be overstated. However, even with intense preparation, unexpected emergencies and disasters can still happen that affect laboratories.  Some state public health laboratories have shown extraordinary persistence and resourcefulness to keep their newborn screening programs functional during responses to natural disasters:

• New Jersey’s state laboratory met with a new UPS representative less than a month prior to Superstorm Sandy and explained the importance of screening babies in a timely manner. This allowed the representative to advocate for them to continue shipping dried blood spots during Superstorm Sandy using UPS’s services, even after it was suspended.⁵
• Louisiana’s newborn screening program persevered through historic flooding by using the National Guard to transport samples after their usual courier became unavailable.⁶
• Puerto Rico’s newborn screening program used multiple avenues (police, social media, volunteers, etc.) to contact the families of babies who tested positive during Hurricane Maria.⁷

⁵[APHL] Association of Public Health Laboratories. The Newborn Screening Story: How One Simple Test Changed Lives, Science, and Health in America [Accessed on: 2020 August 4]. Available from: https://www.aphl.org/AboutAPHL/publications/Documents/NBS_2013May_The-Newborn-Screening-Story_How-One-Simple-Test-Changed-Lives-Science-and-Health-in-America.pdfpdf iconexternal icon

⁶[NewSTEPs] The Newborn Screening Technical assistance and Evaluation Program. Louisiana State Newborn Screening Program Sustains Operations During August 2016 Flooding in Central Louisiana. [Accessed on: 2020 August 4] Available from: https://www.newsteps.org/screening-successes/louisiana-state-newborn-screening-program-sustains-operations-during-august-2016external icon

⁷[NewSTEPs] The Newborn Screening Technical assistance and Evaluation Program. Hurricane Maria: Experience of the Puerto Rico Newborn Screening Program. University of Puerto Rico [Accessed on: 2020 August 4]. Available from: https://www.newsteps.org/sites/default/files/resources/download/hurricane_maria-experience_of_pr_newborn_screening_program_newsteps_360_.pdfpdf iconexternal icon