by Andrea Hill on December 3, 2009
The CDC has issued this warning about an email “phishing” scam. “Phishing” is the act of fraudulently acquiring sensitive information by masquerading as a legitimate source.
PHISHING SCAM – CDC Sponsored State Vaccination Program for H1N1
CDC has received reports of fraudulent emails (phishing) referencing a CDC sponsored State Vaccination Program for H1N1. The messages request that users create a personal H1N1 (swine flu) Vaccination Profile on the CDC.gov web site.
An example of the phishing email is below:
Users that click on the embedded link in the email are at risk of having malicious code installed on their system. CDC reminds users to take the following steps to reduce the risk of being a victim of a phishing attack:
- Do not open or respond to unsolicited email messages.
- Do not click links embedded in emails from unknown senders.
- Use caution when entering personal information online.
- Update anti-virus, spyware, firewall, and anti-spam software regularly.
Tagged as:
CDC,
H1N1,
phishing,
scam
by Jess Colon-Polk on November 10, 2009
Lately, in my own personal journey to research the H1N1 vaccine, I have run into a flurry of helpful and inventive social media tools online.
At the forefront of this seems to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – who have begun using social media tools including Twitter, YouTube, widgets, social networking sites and podcasts to deliver dependable and up-to-date information to the public and health professionals and to reach new audiences.
On the CDC Novel H1N1 Flu Web page, you can find a list of applications, including a Twitter feed for emergency information including H1N1 flu, buttons, badges, e-cards, a mobile version of the website and a texting pilot project, which provides information on seasonal flu, H1N1 flu and public health emergencies and more.
Smart move by the CDC. I am sure they will prove helpful to thousands as the H1N1 flu continues to spread across the country.
Tagged as:
CDC,
Facebook,
H1N1,
social media,
twitter
by Tonya Peters on November 9, 2009
For a very long time, only those in fire fighter, medical or police uniforms were viewed as first responders for emergency or disaster situations – and the organizational chart at a public health department didn’t contain a branch of emergency planning/response personnel. Just as behaviors change, so did the visible landscape of first response.
Public health has always served as the “silent protector” of a community’s health (broadly defined) but since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, public health has gained a more visible and essential presence amongst its local partners. What about the average local resident? Do they really understand the role of public health during times of emergency?
As national health threats such as terrorism and communicable diseases like H1N1 force all of us to pay closer attention to authorities such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we might have a better idea about public health and emergency preparedness, but does it translate to us locally? It should.
In 2006, Worldways Social Marketing worked with the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) to develop an identity for local public health to raise awareness about these local heroes. Maybe someday Fisher Price Little People will add a Public Health Professional Polly Kracker to their world so children will grow up putting her next to Firefighter Dale Matian and Police Captain Shep Barker.
National Identity for Local Public Health
Tagged as:
9/11,
community,
Emergency planning,
Emergency Response Personnel,
H1N1
