What are Health Alerts, Advisories, and Updates?

- Health alerts, advisories, and updates are a way to share urgent health information from the CDC to local health organizations:

 

• CDC sends a Health Alert Network (HAN) to states and partners (hospitals, emergency response agencies, and health providers)

• The state of California will send information through California Health Alert Network (CHAN) to local health departments (like Kings County Dept. of Public Health)

• Local Health Departments (Kings County Dept. Public Health) determine which issues are pertinent to each county and send a local health alert to providers, pharmacies, and funeral homes.

 

 

What is the difference between an alert, advisory, and update?

• Health Alert: Requires immediate action and has the highest level of importance

• Health Advisory: May not require immediate attention, contains information for specific incidents

• Health Update: Unlikely requires immediate attention, contains information for specific incidents

• Health Information: General health information that is non-urgent