Updated 25 January 2006
- Common Ground Clinic
"Common Ground is a community-run organization offering temporary assistance and mutual aid to the citizens of New Orleans and the surrounding areas." - Find a Hospital
from MedlinePlus. - Health and Safety after Hurricane Katrina (English and Español/Spanish)
Includes FDA updates on the following:
* Food safety
* Safety of medicines potentially damaged by flooding or high temperatures
* Insulin storage and switching between products by victims of Hurricane
Katrina
* Information and advice about medical devices exposed to high heat and
humidity - Hurricanes: Health and Safety or go straight to Key Facts for Hurricane Recovery (both available in English and Español/Spanish from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]).
- MD Consult
From Calcasieu Parish Library's Hurricane Katrina information: - U.S. National Library of Medicine: Hurricane Katrina: Links to Health Information including toxicology and environmental health
- Where There Is No Doctor
- HIV/AIDS
If You Need Help: Resources for HIV-Positive Hurricane Survivors (includes information on medical care, housing, Medicare/Medicaid, ADAP, and information for people in interrupted clinical trials)
Triage Recommendations for HIV+ Patients from AAHIVM
"AIDS Group Issues HIV Treatment Guidelines for Katrina Evacuees"
The American Academy of HIV Medicine's "Recommendations for the Triage of HIV+ Patients" target physicians in areas with large numbers of Hurricane Katrina evacuees who may have had little experience treating HIV patients.
The document recommends the following steps:
*Treating active opportunistic infections or other infections with antibiotics or other appropriate medication is first priority.
*Try to determine the patient's CD4-cell count. Varying CD-4 counts put patients at risk of opportunistic infections for which they should be screened, such as HIV-related pneumonia for those with counts below 200; histoplasmos is, toxoplasmosis, and cryptococcal meningitis for those with counts below 100; and mycobacterium avium complex and systemic fungal disease for those with counts below 50.
*While both prophylactic and antiretroviral treatment courses should be continued if possible, doctors should place a priority on the administration of anti-HIV drugs to avoid treatment interruption.
*If patients cannot access all their antiretrovirals, every drug should be stopped, rather than continuing only one or two.
*Tetanus shots should be administered to HIV patients.
*While live-virus vaccines should be used with caution in HIV patients, they should be safe for patients with CD-4 counts above 350.
The guidelines include information on which drug combinations to use and which to avoid, treating pregnant women, HIV post-exposure prophylaxis, and rapid HIV testing.
More information, including help accessing HIV specialists and clinics, is available at the American Academy of HIV Medicine. Also visit HIV/AIDS Medical Practice Guidelines from AIDSinfo.
- Mold
See the following sites:
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "Protect Yourself from Mold" guidelines
* The Environmental Protection Agency's mold guide - Water Purification
Boiling water, when practical, is the preferred way to kill harmful bacteria and parasites. Bringing water to a rolling boil for 1 minute will kill most organisms. Boiling will not remove chemical contaminants. If you suspect or are informed that water is contaminated with chemicals, seek another source of water, such as bottled water.
If you can't boil water, you can treat water with chlorine tablets, iodine tablets, or unscented household chlorine bleach (5.25% sodium hypochlorite Do not use bleach which contains detergents). If you use chlorine tablets or iodine tablets, follow the directions that come with the tablets. If you use household chlorine bleach, add 1/8 teaspoon (~0.75 milliliter [mL]) of bleach per gallon of water if the water is clear. For cloudy water, add 1/4 teaspoon (~1.50 mL) of bleach per gallon. Mix the solution thoroughly and let it stand for about 30 minutes before using it. Treating water with chlorine tablets, iodine tablets, or liquid bleach will not kill many parasitic organisms. Boiling is the best way to kill these organisms.
Household iodine from the medicine chest of first aid kit will purify water. The iodine should be 2% United States Pharmacopoeia (U. S. P.) strength. Add 20 drops per gallon of clear water, and 40 drops per gallon of cloudy water. Seal the container and let stand for 30 minutes. The water supply will be safe for an indefinite period.
Water Purification Tablets will also purify water. Follow manufacturer's directions. Water purification tablets are available at drug stores and camping supply departments of your local stores.
See also How to Purify Water and Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water from the EPA (in English and Español/Spanish)
See also a more general list of medical resources.
"Elsevier is providing two of its medical databases free of charge to medical personnel in shelters and hospitals and to anyone assisting hurricane victim.
User name: KATRINA (notice all uc) and password: katrina (notice all lc) are required."
* Dealing with Mold from the Bay Area Radical Health Collective
