Table 3.

Common Challenges Observed Across Participating Health Departments

Issue Area	Observed Challenges
Surveillance and investigation	• Notification of non-hospital health care providers
	• Level and type of staff involvement
	• Laboratory sample handling and processing
Communications	• Reactive, passive media contacts
	• Reaching vulnerable populations
	• Communicating with response partners
Command and control	• Full implementation of ICS and EOC
	• Handoffs between local and state
	• Expectations regarding the CDC
Medical surge capacity	• Concrete planning
	• Accurately counting staff
	• Recruiting, training, and mobilizing volunteers