The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to enhance the inter-agency response to the current investigation into cases of lung injury associated with e-cigarette product use, or vaping.
CDC’s activation of the EOC allows the agency to provide increased operational support for the response to meet the outbreak’s evolving challenges. Agency subject matter experts will continue to lead the CDC response with enhanced support from additional CDC and EOC staff.
“CDC has made it a priority to find out what is causing this outbreak of e-cigarette or vaping-related injuries and deaths,” said CDC Director Robert Redfield, MD “Activation of CDC’s Emergency Operations Center allows us to enhance operations and provide additional support to CDC staff working to protect our Nation from this serious health threat.”
CDC also continues to work closely with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to collect information about recent e-cigarette product use, or vaping, among patients and to test the substances or chemicals within e-cigarette products used by case patients.
While this investigation is ongoing, if individuals are concerned about these specific health risks, they should consider refraining from using e-cigarette or vaping products.
