We are always humbled by the devastation of natural disasters. The recent earthquake in Haiti is a poignant example that gives us pause and a greater sense of urgency to protect the health of people at home and abroad. The recovery process for Haiti will be long, and CDC and HHS are fully engaged. One critical area is to ensure health workers involved in relief efforts have the information they need. CDC's Division of TB Elimination, for example, provided TB guidance for relief workers and for facilities receiving patients from Haiti. This and many other efforts are underway in Haiti by CDC and other organizations to help heal, protect, and prevent illness, disease, and death. We will keep all affected by this disaster in our thoughts and prayers.

GYT: Get Yourself Tested 2010

GYT: Get Yourself Tested was very successful during STD Awareness Month in 2009, motivating Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), MTV Networks, CDC, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America to expand the campaign in 2010 and beyond. GYT continues its communication goal of encouraging participation by "getting yourself tested” for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, and encouraging others to do so; but in 2010 the message will also encourage—get yourself talking—with partners, health care providers, and others. GYT is part of It's Your [Sex] Life, an ongoing public information partnership of MTV and KFF to help young people make responsible decisions about their sexual health. Through on-air, online, SMS, and community promotions, GYT generated "buzz" in 2009 and linked young people to local STD testing centers. Other CDC partners participated and provided national, state, and local support and outreach. For additional information about participating in GYT in April 2010, visit the GYT web site or contact Mary McFarlane in CDC's Division of STD Prevention.

March 8–11, 2010
2010 National STD
Prevention Conference

March 10, 2010
National Women and Girls
HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

March 20, 2010
National Native HIV/AIDS
Awareness Day

March 24, 2010
World TB Day

April, 2010
STD Awareness Month

Tweet the 2010 National STD Prevention Conference:#stdconf10

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, "Hepatitis and Liver Cancer: A National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis B and C," released on January 11, confirms what we have long known—it is possible to stem the tide of viral hepatitis if we scale up and maximize the use of proven prevention and intervention strategies. We support the IOM's call for a more aggressive, less fragmented national response to combating this under-recognized and often silent cause of liver cancer, disease, and death. Improving surveillance, knowledge and awareness, immunization, and screening and care services are critical next steps. Recently, a new website was launched from a CDC-funded training center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, www.KnowHepatitis.org, which features a webinar discussion by Dr. John Ward, director of CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis, on the IOM recommendations. Much more is to come as we engage our partners to address recommendations.