The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) this week sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting that his recent federal directive to protect school personnel be expanded to include health department officials and staff. Pointing to the increasing threats and violence being faced by many local health department personnel…
Read More »This week, the California Department of Conservation’s Geologic Energy Management (CalGEM) issued a proposed regulation that would prohibit new oil wells and facilities within a 3,200-foot exclusion area, or setback, from homes, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and other sensitive locations. The proposed regulation would also require pollution control measures for existing wells and facilities within…
Read More »This week, the Biden-Harris Administration rolled out a plan to accelerate efforts to protect Americans from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which can cause severe health issues and persist in the environment once released. The efforts by the federal government are intended to safeguard public health and the environment by preventing PFAS from being released…
Read More »The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week unveiled a proposed rule intended to improve access to and reduce the costs of hearing aid technology for Americans. The federal agency proposes to establish a new category of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, allowing hearing aids in this category to be sold directly to consumers in…
Read More »This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced it has reestablished the Advisory Committee to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ACD). The committee, authorized by federal law, is intended to advise the CDC Director, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and…
Read More »The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Health Center for Health Innovation will host a virtual symposium entitled, “CA Notify One-Year Later: Exposure Notifications at the Crossroads of Technology and Public Health” on Thursday, November 4 from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. The event will feature a…
Read More »On Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-20-21 to support communities impacted by recent wildfires throughout the state. The order applies to numerous Northern California counties and extends various prohibitions on price gouging in impacted counties through December 31, 2021. Additional information on the Governor’s order is available here.
Read More »This week, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) launched its seasonal influenza campaign, urging Californians to get vaccinated against the flu. In California, flu season typically runs October through May with increases in flu activity occurring in late November or December. After receiving a vaccination, it takes a couple of weeks for the body…
Read More »On Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced California has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to ensure the availability of resources to address the Alisal Fire in Santa Barbara County. The FMAG received by the state enables local, state, and tribal agencies responding to the fire to apply…
Read More »This week, after a one-year hiatus due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, CHEAC hosted a successful 2021 Annual Meeting in a virtual format. Over 230 registrants representing nearly all of California’s 61 local health jurisdictions attended the conference, featuring multiple plenary and workshop sessions. CHEAC extends sincere gratitude to those individuals who were able to…
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