Much is written about disaster planning. Yet, producers and veterinarians are seldom prepared for disease outbreaks or disasters. The Center for Food Security and Public Health at the College of Veterinary Medicine of Iowa State University announced a comprehensive set of tools to address this. Fact sheets offer information about each disease are ready for immediate use in the face of an outbreak.
Source: National Hog Farmer, February 22, 2016.
The Swine Disease Matrix and 25 fact sheets on swine diseases of concern are now available on the Swine Health Information Center’s website. The Swine Disease Matrix prioritizes pathogens of threat that will drive SHIC initiatives and actions. Diseases on the fact sheets range from swine vesicular disease to high pathogenic pseudorabies to Getah virus. “Awareness and readiness is what we need to be able to effectively respond,” emphasizes executive director of SHIC Paul Sundberg.
INSIGHTS – If I were working a swine territory, the Swine Disease Matrix would be part of the next two turns there. While DVMs may be aware of the tools, it is important to ensure their staff is aware and that the information is being delivered to producer clients.