Zika Virus: Considerations for Public Health and Health Care Systems

This briefing will explore policy considerations to ensure that public health and health care systems are appropriately equipped to monitor, prepare for, and respond to Zika virus, as well as other future vector-borne outbreaks. While there have not been any cases of local transmission identified in the continental U.S., this mosquito-borne disease has captured the attention of public health and health care officials across the nation, especially as warmer weather approaches. As of April 27, 2016, 426 travel-associated Zika cases were reported in the United States and 596 locally-acquired cases were reported in U.S. territories.

• Jeanne Sheffield, director, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, will speak about the evidence behind Zika and considerations for providing care to infected patients.
• Daniel Kass, deputy commissioner of environmental health, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, will discuss state and local vector control and response initiatives.
• Stephen Redd, director, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will discuss the CDC’s role in preventing and mitigating vector-borne diseases on a national level.
• Gregg Margolis, director, Division of Health Systems and Health Policy, Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR), HHS, will speak about Zika preparedness within the U.S. health care system, as well as vaccine development.
The Alliance is grateful to The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for its support of this series.