Alexandria's Health Department will soon gain two new specialists to strengthen its ability to respond to situations as the post office anthrax scare of last October.
"Each district in the state will get two positions, an epidemiologist and a bioterrorism coordinator," said Dr. Charles Konigsberg, Jr., Director, Alexandria Department of Health. "We are the only individual municipality in Northern Virginia to get the two position authorization. We are like a county in the eyes of the Virginia Health Department."
Funded by a $22 million federal grant, the program is being coordinated by the state Department of Health, according to Konigsberg. The target date to have the additional personnel hired is the end of July.
"We have a number of potential candidates. We will look at them and decide on the best fit. These are very important positions for us to have in place," he said.
"The overall objective is to build up the public health infrastructure. I'm hoping this will be done throughout the region, not only in Virginia. Organizisms don't recognize political boundaries," Konigsberg emphasized.
"This will strengthen our risk communications so that we are better equipped to handle situations such as the anthrax alert that occurred at the post office. Epidemiologists have specialized training in communicable diseases," he explained.
A BIOTERRORISM coordinator will fulfill a planner role for each team. "A team will consist of a physician, epidemiologist, information technician, a bioterrorism specialist, and a support person," said Michelle Stoll, Public Relation Coordinator, Virginia Department of Health.
Alexandria's Health Department already has one epidemiologist on staff who was hired in May, 2001. However, that person was not part of the federal grant authorization, Konigsberg clarified.
"All area hospitals can expect to work very closely with these teams once they are in place," Stoll stated. "Teams will be prepared to work with local personnel to deal with any public health emergency which might arise. They are not restricted to just bioterrorism situations."
Colleen Mahoney, Assistant Administrator, Inova Alexandria Hospital, verified, "The hospital has been kept well informed about this development as a member of the Public Health Advisory Commission."
It is anticipated that approximately 35 new epidemiologist will be hired throughout the state. "This increased infrastructure will give the state Health Department the ability to move people around depending on health emergencies," Konigsberg emphasized.