On Friday, December 4, 2015, CDC released the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) with new clinical guidance for the use of Medical Countermeasures (MCMs) during an Anthrax mass-casualty event.
Guidance Abstract Snippet:
“This report addresses elements of hospital-based acute care, specifically antitoxins and intravenous antimicrobial use, and the diagnosis and management of common anthrax-specific complications during a mass-casualty incident. The recommendations in this report should be implemented only after predefined triggers have been met for shifting from conventional to contingency or crisis standards of care, such as when the magnitude of cases might lead to impending shortages of intravenous antimicrobials, antitoxins, critical care resources (e.g., chest tubes and chest drainage systems), or diagnostic capability. This guidance does not address primary triage decisions, anthrax postexposure prophylaxis, hospital bed or workforce surge capacity, or the logistics of dispensing MCMs. Clinicians, hospital administrators, state and local health officials, and planners can use these recommendations to assist in the development of crisis protocols that will ensure national preparedness for an anthrax mass-casualty incident.”
The complete guidance can be found here.
NACCHO would like to recognize the following individuals for their contributions to coordinate the formation of the guidance and provide local health department insight and perspective:
- Melissa Marquis, Public Health Emergency Response Specialist of the West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District, Former Chair of the NACCHO MCM Workgroup and current Vice-Chair of the NACCHO Preparedness Planning, Measures, and Outcomes Workgroup
- Garrett Simonsen of the Hampden County Health Coalition and former Vice-Chair of the NACCHO MCM Workgroup
- Lisa Brown, former NACCHO Senior Program Analyst and former NACCHO staff lead of the NACCHO MCM Workgroup
- Andrew Roszak, former NACCHO Senior Director of Environmental Health, Pandemic Preparedness, and Catastrophic Response
