LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY
IMS JOB BANK Iowa needs influenza surveillance sites
August 10, 2009
With the potential for five influenza strains to circulate this fall, the Iowa Influenza Surveillance Network (IISN) needs your help. Health care providers, hospitals, schools, and laboratories willing to collect and report basic influenza data are the core of the IISN program. This data allows public health to determine where, when and which strains of influenza are circulating, and to then provide information to health care providers about the flu activity in their communities.
The reporting requirement varies by the type of surveillance site. In general, sites count the number of patients ill with influenza and total patients seen or hospitalized. School sites only report total number of students enrolled and those absent due to illness. Everyone reports into a simple, Web-based system by the close of business on Tuesdays of the following week. Sites are provided with the weekly surveillance report and certificates of appreciation.
If you are interested in serving as an influenza surveillance site or would like more information, contact Meg Harris at mharris@idph.state.ia.us or 515-281-7134.