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DHH
Secretary, GOHSEP Director Prepares
for
H1N1 Resurgence with Top Federal,
Other State
Officials at Pan Flu Summit
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July 09, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Two
top state officials are
in Washington, D.C.
today working with
health care and
emergency preparedness
leaders from the federal
government and other
states on continued
planning for H1N1
influenza preparedness.
Louisiana Department of
Health and Hospitals
Secretary Alan Levine
and Governor’s Office of
Homeland Security and
Emergency Preparedness
Director Mark Cooper are
participating in the
2009 Flu Summit, an
all-day H1N1 flu
preparedness meeting and
workshop with states to
further prepare the
nation for the
possibility of a more
severe outbreak of H1N1
flu in the fall. The
event is being hosted by
Secretaries Kathleen
Sebelius of the
Department of Health and
Human Services, Janet
Napolitano of the
Department of Homeland
Security, and Arne
Duncan of the Department
of Education, along with
Homeland Security
Advisor John Brennan.
Federal, state and local
officials, emergency
managers, educators and
others are discussing
lessons learned during
the spring and summer
H1N1 wave, and best
practices and
preparedness priorities
for the fall and beyond.
Public health and
infectious disease
epidemiology experts
from DHH are also
participating via web
conference.
DHH Secretary Levine
said, “We expect a
highly active fall flu
season, and the first
and best line of defense
will be our individual
citizens, who can take
aggressive but simple
steps now to protect
themselves and their
loved ones. DHH’s
infectious disease,
immunization, emergency
preparedness, and public
health experts are
working very closely
with government
agencies, health care
professionals and
hospitals to ensure our
state is ready for a
possible new outbreak.”
GOHSEP Director Cooper
said, “The H1N1 outbreak
in the spring was a
precursor of what’s
possibly to come in the
fall. At the state
level, we are taking all
measures possible to
make sure we are
prepared to handle the
worst case scenario and
keep the citizens of
Louisiana as informed
and healthy as possible.
As an all-hazards
agency, we work closely
with other state
agencies such as DHH to
make sure we have the
necessary resources to
handle emergencies at
all levels.”
Sessions include an H1N1
Situational Update from
the director of the U.S.
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention;
discussions on
activities and
priorities for the U.S.
departments of Health
and Human Services,
Homeland Security, and
Education; panel
discussions on school
preparedness,
preparedness lessons
learned from states and
localities, and risk
communications; and
breakout sessions for
participants to share
their own lessons
learned, case studies
and best practices.
For the most current
national information on
H1N1 flu, avian flu and
other pandemic flu
information, visit
www.flu.gov, managed by
the U.S. Department of
Health and Human
Services.
For the most current
state information on
H1N1 flu, visit
www.flula.com,
managed by DHH.
The Louisiana Department
of Health and Hospitals
strives to protect and
promote health statewide
and to ensure access to
medical, preventive and
rehabilitative services
for all state citizens.
To learn more about DHH,
visit
www.dhh.louisiana.gov.
Media Contacts:
Veronica
Mosgrove, GOHSEP
225-573-3718 /
225-358-5667
veronica.mosgrove@la.gov
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