First Response

News Releases

Emergency Topics

• Anthrax

• Botulism

• Hemorrhagic Fever

• Nerve Agent

• Pandemic Flu

• Pneumonic Plague

• Radioactivity

• Smallpox

• Tularemia

• Medication fact sheets

• More fact sheets

Local Health Agencies and Healthcare Providers

Glossary of Terms and Acronyms

• Newsroom

• About DOH

• Programs & Services

• DOH Web (A-Z)

• Alternative File Format Information

The tools in this section will help you communicate during an outbreak of smallpox whether occurring naturally or intentionally.

Coordinate all media contact with your assigned public information staff and follow your agency's emergency communications procedures.

News Releases. These news release templates contain areas to customize with information about:

• your location,
• details about the specific situation,
• locations of medication or treatment centers,
• updated case and fatality numbers,
• quotes from local officials or
• your contact information.

Important note: These are samples only. Do not use without updating for your specific agency. Some of these templates contain information about symptoms; check with your health officer or medical director to make sure they are accurate for the real-time situation.

News Release: Smallpox confirmed
This news release template was designed to be used when smallpox has been confirmed.

News Release: Medication centers established
This news release template was designed to announce the establishment of medication centers that will distribute medication or vaccines or provide treatment.

News Release: Case/fatality update
This news release template was designed to be used each time the number of confirmed cases and number of fatalities is updated.

News Release: Additional medication centers
This news release template was designed to be used when additional medication centers are opened.

Fact sheets and talking points.

• Fact sheet: Smallpox
  Facts about smallpox: descriptions of symptoms and treatment and instructions for preventing exposure. A Word version of this fact sheet is available in Spanish. (Translations are also available in PDF format in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian and Vietnamese.)

• Additional information about smallpox
  This information is for you to incorporate into new releases, fact sheets and other materials you may produce during the emergency.

Information specific to the smallpox vaccine.

• Fact sheet: The smallpox vaccine and those with HIV
  Facts about the the smallpox vaccine and the risks to those who are HIV positive.

• Fact sheet: The smallpox vaccine and your pets
  Facts about the effects of the smallpox vaccine on pets and other animals.

DOH Home | Access Washington | Privacy Notice | Disclaimer/Copyright Information

Washington State Department of Health
101 Israel Rd SE, P.O. Box 47890
Olympia, Washington, 98504-7890

Last Update : 07/21/2008 03:31 PM
Send e-mail inquires about the Communications Toolkit and this web site.