Each person with an assigned role should have a clear understanding of
their institutional responsibilities, incentives, and main objectives.
You can use the descriptions of the roles, your knowledge of the real-life
institutions, and online resources to Below is the description of the roles:
Mayor
[1 person]
Mayors are working closely with their local public health agencies to
disseminate information to the general public, schools, businesses,
outgoing travelers, and others. The main responsibilities of the mayor
in case of an outbreak are:
Coordinating local governments and ensuring the representatives are speaking with one voice.
Declaring a state of emergency if the law allows.
Being transparent with the people in your community.
Ensuring that the city is not overrun by fear and the law is followed.
Discussing the capacity and capacity building with public health officials and hospital systems.
Making an inventory of nonprofits and foundations to figure out who external to the government can take part in relief and planning efforts.
Communicating with authorities responsible for schools – have a plan for childcare and nutrition as a result of potential school closings.
Creating a response team and ensuring efficient communication flow.
Ensuring that individuals in all settings (Households, Long-term care,
Institutions, Childcare facilities and K-12 Schools, Colleges
and Universities, Businesses, Healthcare Settings, Settings that
involve large community events/mass gatherings, EMS, Law
Enforcement) are aware of the response plan and their
responsibilities and contact people.
CDC officers
Officer 1 [3 people] - Epidemic Intelligence
Service (EIS) fellow sent to the site to assist the local public
health with investigations and analysis. When disease outbreaks
or other public health threats emerge, EIS officers investigate,
identify the cause, rapidly implement control measures, and
collect evidence to recommend preventive actions. (See more
stories from real-life disease detectives here:
https://www.cdc.gov/eis/php/our-work/index.html
This officer serves as a liaison between the CDC and the local
public health department (PHD). The main tasks are to provide
knowledge and guidance, make sure necessary resources are
available to the local PHD, the information flow with the CDC is
efficient, and the threat is neutralized as quickly as possible.
Reports to the CDC Division of Emergency Operations.
Officer 2 [2 people] - a trained experienced epidemiologist
affiliated with the CDC Division of Emergency Operations
https://www.cdc.gov/orr/deo/index.html
The main tasks are to monitor the situations in different locations
for potential threats, to identify if there is a threat, organize
CDC emergency activities, support the request from the PHD for
assistance in response, and alert and inform CDC leadership of
evolving public health emergencies and disasters.
Local Public Health Department (PHD):
State, local, and territorial PHDs have the primary responsibility for
identifying and investigating disease outbreaks and reporting them to
CDC if required or needed.
Infectious Disease Epidemiologist [3 people] - The epidemiologist
investigates the frequency and distribution of diseases within
human populations and the environment. Roles include:
Developing and designing methods of collecting, analyzing,
and disseminating data for routine surveillance and
special short-term purposes.
Performing epidemiological and statistical analyses of
data and prepares results for review. Routinely analyzing
and interpreting both qualitative and quantitative data,
writing reports, and presenting data for their supervisor,
and internal and external authorities/representatives.
Coordinating epidemiological investigations and proposing
and/or initiating public health recommendations based on findings.
Conducting communicable disease investigations and case
or contact follow-up as appropriate. Participating in
the 24/7 Communicable Disease on-call rotation.
Identifying or proposing corrective action or interventions
to prevent or alleviate public health problems based on
epidemiological findings.
The Director of the Local Public Health Department [1 person]
- The local health director administers programs under the direction
of the board of health. The Director is a public service employee.
Their roles (among others) include:
Planning, organizing, and overseeing the work of professional
staff (e.g., by making and reviewing work assignments,
establishing priorities, coordinating activities, and
resolving related work problems) providing public health services;
Determining the types and the levels of the services to be provided;
Explaining the department’s activities to the board, local officials, and the public; Making public presentations and meeting privately with physicians and administrations of local health and social service agencies;
Consulting and coordinating with federal and local health officials for the enforcement and development of programs to meet population health needs;
Preparing the agency’s budget and making sure it is followed;
Enforcing public health laws within their jurisdiction and employing legal remedies when public health laws are violated. The director may:
Initiate civil or criminal proceedings against a public health law violator
Abate public health nuisances or imminent hazards
Impose administrative penalties (fines) for violations of state or local laws
Embargo food or drink in some circumstances
Impose administrative penalties for violations of local on-site wastewater rules, or conditions imposed on permits issued under such rules
The local health director may also play a role in actions taken by local public health employees to suspend or revoke permits, such as a permit to operate a restaurant.
Overseeing investigations of cases and outbreaks of communicable diseases and ensuring that communicable disease control measures are in place.
Ordering isolation or quarantine if the legal conditions for exercising the isolation or quarantine authority are met.
Enforcing the laws requiring the immunization of children and other programs required/guided by law.