| This site was archived on March 31st, 2010. It is now hosted by the National Center for Media Engagement. FluPortal was an active H1N1 project August 2009 – March 2010. It was funded by CPB and run by PRX in partnership with NPR. |
Reporters and editors: This page points you to resources to help you report on H1N1 in your state and local community. Several links send you to state or local health departments, which can be useful first stops.
The page is a work in progress. Please help us out by sending us good sites you’ve discovered.
Resources Menu:State Resources |
FluPortal on Delicious
Find bookmarked links about states here.
Find bookmarked links about local communities here.
State Resources
Find H1N1 Information Specific to Your State
Clickable map from HHS containing state-specific H1N1 information:
- Flu.gov resources for state & local governments
- CDC H1N1 resources for state & local health officials
- CDC list of state health-department websites
- Association of State and Territorial Health Officials H1N1 page
- State contacts for providers interested in offering H1N1 vaccine
- Flu.gov map of weekly H1N1 infection level by region – Clickable map. Includes regular seasonal flu data.
- Map of state H1N1 websites – Clickable map.
- State H1N1 preparedness summits
- CDC vaccine guidance for state & local health officials
- CDC H1N1 reporting guidelines for state & local health departments
- FEMA National Incident Management System – Coordinate response to cross-jurisdictional emergencies.
- PSAs from your member of congress – Listed by state. Both audio and video. Some in Spanish.
H1N1 PSA from Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Senator Mark Begich (D-AK):
[USGOVHHS / YouTube]
Local-Community Resources
Find H1N1 Information Specific to Your Community
- Harvard Nieman Foundation tips for reporting locally on pandemic flu
- Flu.gov flu-shot locator – Search by state.
- American Lung Association’s Flu Clinic Locator – Find a flu clinic (not specific to H1N1) based on zip code.
- Find a Health Center – From Health and Human Services. Search by zip code.
- Flu.gov resources for state & local governments
- CDC H1N1 resources for state & local health officials
- CDC vaccine guidance for state & local health officials
- CDC H1N1 reporting guidelines for state & local health departments
- Flu.gov H1N1 community-planning guidelines
- Flu.gov guide for community and faith-based organizations
- Flu.gov school-planning page – Guidance for schools.
- NYC Influenza Information – Example of a city health-department H1N1 page.
- DC Department of Health H1N1 page – Another example of city health-department page.
- Johns Hopkins Swine Flu Information Center – Example of a university H1N1 page.
- “How WBUR’s Sacha Pfeiffer Reports on H1N1” – FluPortal blog, 10/01/09. Tips from a local reporter.
- “Be an H1N1 Resource for Your Community” – FluPortal blog, 10/22/09. How-to video on becoming a community resource. From National Center for Media Engagement (see more NCME tips below).
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology PSA posters – Downloadable/printable. Example of creative local PSAs.
Six Tips for Responding to the H1N1 Flu Outbreak
Some pubmedia stations may include community engagement in their mission. Here are several ideas from the National Center for Media Engagement for working with your community on H1N1.
These tips come from NCME’s 9+ years of consulting with stations and gathering models of effective community engagement.
1. Contact your local health authority to learn about response efforts and organizations involved in them. Ask what they need and how the station can help. To find out who to contact, visit State-by-State Pandemic Information.
2. Collaborate with others in your community who are also involved. Now is the time to share ideas and build on each other’s work. Before setting off on your own plans, discover what other organizations are already doing and work together to strengthen the impact.
3. Act as the glue between the various health organizations in your area. In stressful times, these organizations often work without knowledge of what others are doing. Your station can convene them to share ideas and learn from each other.
4. Connect your community with the information it needs. The number of resources available online can be overwhelming—especially during times of crisis. Post the most pertinent resources on your station site and use PSAs or your monthly guide to tell people where to find them.
5. Provide multiple entry points to your H1N1 content (in-person, online, via social media, on-air). This is essential if the audience you need to support differs from the audience you typically reach. It can be the same content delivered across multiple platforms.
6. Help local citizens support one another by involving them in two-way dialogue. Use an online forum, phone bank or on-air town hall to give citizens the chance to share what they’re doing and how they’re coping with the outbreak.
