Important Information You Need to Know About Public Health Emergencies

• If medicines can prevent the spread of a disease, you may see or hear news stories referring to prophylaxis.
  Prophylaxis means a measure taken or treatment given to prevent a disease or medical condition.

• Prophylaxis may be offered at a point of dispensing site (POD) site. POD sites will be located in buildings or at central locations so the public can get free medications in the event of a public health emergency. Usually, PODs will be located at schools, churches, businesses, and other familiar neighborhood landmarks. Your news station and local public health department will let you know where you should go for any dispensed medication.

• Medication will be free. You will need to know the age and weight of dependents. You may pick up medication for multiple family members so it is not necessary to bring all family members to the dispensing site. The head of household that is most able to stand in line would be the best person to send.

• Depending on the type of public health emergency, you may be instructed to shelter-in-place. That means that you should stay wherever you are when you hear the emergency alert or announcement, whether it is at home, at the office, or in school. It may be difficult to be away from family members at such a time. You would be asked to shelter-in-place for your own protection.

• If there is a quarantine, it means that healthy people with no symptoms may have been exposed to a disease and need to remain separate from others. On the other hand, if people have a disease that can be spread, they will need to be isolated from others. When sick people need to remain separate, it is called isolation. Quarantines are for people who are not sick but may be exposed; isolation is for sick people.

• If local pharmacies or warehouses run out of medicines, the public health department may decide to ask the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to help with medicines in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). The SNS is a federal stockpile that exists to deliver critical medicines, medical supplies, and equipment to the site of a large-scale disaster or emergency. If local resources run out, the SNS can arrive in the Metroplex within twelve hours. The only person in Texas who can ask the CDC to send the SNS is the Governor, who must first receive a request from a county judge.