CDC Surveys the Gulf Coast

This week, BP announced a “static kill” attempt that will hopefully plug the leaking well that is responsible for the Gulf Coast Oil Spill. This attempt could be the beginning of the end of the Gulf Coast Oil Spill according said Darryl Bourgoyne, director of the Petroleum Engineering Research Lab at Louisiana State University . With the emerging effects on animal and marine life, as well as the gulf coast eco-system, one has to wonder what the potential health risks are for people living along the gulf coast.

The CDC along with the gulf coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida are tracking the potential short-term effects related to the oil spill and have surveillance systems in place to track illnesses and injuries of the affected population. The system is meant to identify groups of people with similar symptoms. If a group of people are identified, public health officials will investigate the relation of the symptoms to the oil spill. By doing this, the CDC and gulf coast states are hoping to track and obtain a picture of the health of people affected by the Gulf Coast Oil Spill.

For more information, click here .