HAN ; 071

Friday, January 18, 2002, 16:43 EST (4:43 PM EST)

CDCHAN-00071-2002-01-18-UPD-N

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) unveiled today a redesigned Web site offering both new and updated bioterrorism resources for health professionals and the public."

The site at www.bt.cdc.gov addresses the need for up-to-date and accurate information on health threats arising from exposure to biological, chemical, or radiological agents.

The redesigned site, which focuses on Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response, is the official federal site for medical, laboratory, and public health professionals to reference when providing information to the public and for updates on protocols related to health threats such as anthrax.

CDC redesigned the site in response to overwhelming demand from the public and professionals for credible information during the anthrax crisis. In October 2001, CDC experienced more than a 100 percent increase in traffic to its main Web site, www.cdc.gov, which links directly to www.bt.cdc.gov. CDC was the most visited federal government Web site in the nation in October, registering more than 9.1 million unique visits.

"As a result of recent events, we find that not only health professionals, but people from all walks of life want information on health threats directly from our agency's Web site," said CDC Director Jeffrey P. Koplan, MD, MPH. "This new site makes the most-requested information on public health preparedness and emergency response easier to find and update quickly."

The new site offers easy-to-use categories requested by key audiences, including clinicians. CDC worked with the Communication Technologies Branch (CTB) at the National Cancer Institute to test the site for usability with a sample of potential users in Rockville, MD. CTB also conducted a review of the Web site using its Research- Based Web Design and Usability Guidelines (http://usability.gov/guidelines; http://usability.gov.)

Health Alert Network (HAN)

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