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| October 03, 2003 | |||
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| COLEMAN TO HOST FIELD HEARING IN ST. LOUIS PARK ON MINNESOTA’S EFFORTS TO PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE SARS OUTBREAK DURING THE FLU SEASON | |||
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School nurses, hospital administrators, and health experts will provide testimony on how they would respond to a sudden outbreak of SARS and how they would contain and protect students, patients and the public from the potentially fatal disease at a field hearing October 8th of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations chaired by Senator Norm Coleman. The location of the hearing will now be St. Louis Park High School.
“We now know that SARS is likely to return and that our communities need to be ready to respond,” Senator Coleman said. “We’re running short on time and I want to make sure that Minnesota is getting the help it needs to contain any new case of SARS.” The objective of this hearing will be to focus on what public facilities such as school and hospitals have done to prepare for the upcoming flu season. The possible reemergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in the winter months was inferred in a previous PSI hearing on SARS. Coleman wants to ensure that states are ready to handle this health problem efficiently and effectively. The Subcommittee expects to hear from Diane Mandernach, Commissioner of Minnesota’s Department of Health and Dr. Michael T. Osterholm, Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. Additional witnesses will include Jeff Spartz, administrator of the Hennepin County Medical Center, Ann Hoxie, student wellness administrator for the St. Paul Public Schools, Mary Crow, vice president, patient care services at Northfield Hospital, and Deb Hermann, lead nurse in Marshall School District. This is Chairman Coleman’s third hearing on SARS. During a May 21st hearing, the subcommittee was warned by top health care experts that SARS will almost certainly return during the regular flu season. On July 30th, the Subcommittee held a second hearing to hear the results of a GAO study on how best to handle the epidemic and to learn what the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is doing to help local areas prepare. WHEN: Wednesday, October 8 10:00 a.m. CDT WHERE: St. Louis Park High School – Room C350 6525 W 33rd Street St. Louis Park, MN |
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