Exercise Overview
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Exercise Benefits / Facts
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The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Bristol County Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coalition undertook an initiative to design, conduct and evaluate an exercise entitled “Contagion Containment – An Anthrax Response Tabletop Exercise”.
This exercise served as an opportunity for the coalition’s public health agencies to assess their ability to establish, manage and demobilize an Emergency Dispensing Site (EDS) in response to an aerosolized anthrax incident.
During this exercise, public health staff and management along with their community partners worked together as a unified team to meet the challenges associated with community notification, pharmaceutical distribution and health monitoring of the county’s residents.
Exercise Scenario
Day 1 – 8:53AM
Numerous residents have been arriving at hospitals, urgent care centers and primary care providers throughout the county with “flu-like” symptoms (high fever, chills, fatigue and persistent coughs).
The majority of these cases, which include otherwise healthy adults, exhibit signs and symptoms more serious than the common “flu”.
Day 1 – 2:11PM
Many of the “flu” patients are not responding to decongestants, analgesics or antiviral medications therapy.
Rapid diagnostic testing tests for influenza have been negative. Blood tests and cultures for fungal, viral and other infectious diseases are still pending.
The lack of response to the initial treatment regimen and the relatively large number of patients prompt several frustrated, yet seriously concerned, physicians to seek advice and consultation from their local public health agency.
Anthrax Awareness Video
Access a video to better understand anthrax and its potential use as a terrorist weapon.
Exercise Conclusion
The Contagion Containment Tabletop Exercise was held in the morning of April 15, 2014, in Mansfield Massachusetts.
Exercise Photos
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This exercise is an example of the kind of exercises that comprise the nationwide Caduceus Shield Exercise Initiative. This initiative provides meaningful exercise opportunities for America’s health system.
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