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Role of Trade in Developing Countries' Road to Recovery

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From the Introduction: "'Trade has been a phenomenal driver of poverty reduction over the past 30 years and participation in GVCs [global value chains] has been a force for job and wealth creation.' Nevertheless, tensions and skepticism over the impact of trade have been rising. This is happening at a time when trade is more important than ever to cope with and recover from the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. A retrenchment from trade now would further increase the serious adverse impact of the pandemic on poverty. 'Trade can also play a key role in addressing the challenge of global warming.' While trade results in carbon emissions, it is fundamental to the solution to climate change in terms of facilitating the transition to low-carbon growth and supporting adaptation to rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns. Trade is also critical to recovery from increasingly frequent extreme weather events. 'Open trade policies and efforts to reduce trade costs remain critically important while recognizing the need to recalibrate an approach to trade that places it firmly and squarely within a resilient, inclusive, and green approach to development.' This note summarizes three inter-related policy challenges to which trade can be a fundamental part of the answer: (i) the recovery from COVID-19 and economic resilience to future global shocks; (ii) delivering on the promise to end extreme poverty and achieving a more inclusive world; and (iii) mitigating carbon emissions and adapting to climate change."

World Trade Organization; World Bank Group

Brenton, Paul; Gillson, Ian; Monteiro, José-Antonio

2021-10-14?
COVID-19 Report: The Prolongation of the Health Crisis and Its Impact on Health, the Economy and Social Development

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From the Introduction: "More than a year and a half has passed since the first case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was detected in Latin America and the Caribbean, triggering a health crisis that has led to a steady deterioration of the social development process. [...] [This] report analyses the region's main historical weaknesses and gives an overview of current progress in vaccination processes, the public health measures taken by the countries and the demographic evolution of the pandemic. This is followed by a section on the main economic and social impacts of the pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean, showing up the vulnerability of the population in different dimensions of this scenario, as well as the centrality of social protection and the role of the State during the protracted health crisis and the need to increase public investment in the health sector. Next is an analysis of possible scenarios in which the pandemic could be brought under control in the short term, considering factors that are under the control of the countries and a set of contextual conditions that directly impact this area. Lastly, the report concludes with a series of recommendations that emphasize the importance of a comprehensive approach to controlling the health crisis in the short term and progressing towards sustainable economic recovery with equality and universal health care with resilient health systems."

United Nations. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean; Pan American Health Organization

2021-10-14
Commentary: What Can Masks Do? Part 1: The Science Behind COVID-19 Protection

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From the Document: "Confusion continues to abound over the effectiveness of masks to protect people from COVID-19, and recent news stories touting imperfect studies are only compounding the situation. [...] In part 1 of this commentary we will cut through the murk by: [1] Explaining the differences between cloth face coverings (or cloth masks), surgical masks, and respirators in the context of infectious aerosol inhalation. [2] Delving into the science of respiratory protection. [3] Discussing the role of masks and respirators in the hierarchy of controls for disease prevention."

Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy

Brosseau, Lisa M.; Ulrich, Angela K.; Escandón, Kevin . . .

2021-10-14
EMS by the Numbers: 'Impact of COVID-19 (October 14, 2021)'

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From the Document: "This document is provided by NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] in an effort to help State EMS [emergency medical services] Officials track particular EMS activations occurring during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. This document will be updated periodically to provide current information regarding temporal variations in the type and characteristics of EMS activations occurring in the U.S. during the COVID-19 outbreak."

National Emergency Medical Services Information System

Mann, N. Clay

2021-10-14
Mexican Drug Trafficking and Cartel Operations Amid COVID-19 [Updated October 14, 2021]

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From the Document: "Mexico is a primary producer and transit country for illicit drugs destined [hyperlink] for the United States. Policymakers, including many in Congress, have closely watched how the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting illicit drug flow patterns out of Mexico, including the flow of potent opioids. Any changes could affect the extent to which Mexico-based transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), popularly described as cartels, pose a law enforcement and national security threat to the United States. Despite early supply chain disruptions, U.S.-bound illicit drug supplies appear to have returned to pre-pandemic levels; illicit fentanyl flows in particular appear to be thriving."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Beittel, June S.; Rosen, Liana W.

2021-10-14
United States Navy Administration (NAVADMIN): COVID-19 Consolidated Disposition Authority (CCDA)

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From the Purpose: "This NAVADMIN [Naval Administrative Message] announces the assignment of the Chief of Naval Personnel as the COVID [Coronavirus Disease] Consolidated Disposition Authority (CCDA), and provides procedural guidance and reporting requirements for administrative disposition of individual Navy service members, active duty and Selected Reserve, who are not fully vaccinated[.]"

United States. Office of the Chief of Naval Operations

2021-10-13
CBO Presentation: CBO's Budget and Economic Analysis During the Pandemic

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This Congressional Budget Office (CBO) presentation provides information on the following: "Budgetary Effects of Laws Enacted in Response to the 2020-2021 Coronavirus Pandemic, March and April 2020"; "Budgetary Effects of Major Laws Enacted in Response to the 2020-2021 Coronavirus Pandemic, December 2020 and March 2021"; "Health Analysis"; and "Macroeconomic Analysis."

United States. Congressional Budget Office

Swagel, Phillip

2021-10-13
COVID-19-Related Impact on the Banking Industry: Conditions in the Second Quarter 2021 [October 13, 2021]

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From the Document: "Bank regulation is designed to allow banks to withstand some amount of unexpected losses. Some observers have worried that the economic ramifications of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic could result in enough borrowers missing loan payments to cause distress for banks [hyperlink]. This Insight presents bank industry statistics through the second quarter 2021 and examines how the pandemic might be affecting the industry."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Gnanarajah, Raj; Scott, Andrew P.

2021-10-13
Development and Actionability of the Dutch COVID-19 Dashboard: Descriptive Assessment and Expert Appraisal Study

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From the Introduction: "In response to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, caused by the infection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), that emerged in 2019, governments worldwide have been forced to take measures that impact the lives of individuals in order to protect the health of their citizens. Making the right COVID-19 policy decisions requires a balanced trade-off between protecting the population from infection and its consequences, ensuring that non-COVID-19 care needs are met (dual-track capacity monitoring), and minimizing socioeconomic impacts [...]. Web-based public reporting by means of dashboards has become an essential tool for monitoring COVID-19 information and communicating it to the public [...]. Moreover, dashboards are used to support individuals in informed decision making, for instance to educate citizens on whether they need to adapt their behaviors to minimize individual and population risk [...]. As such, dashboards are a powerful communication tool, and they are also frequently used by media as key information sources. If, however, information in dashboards is based on suboptimal reporting practices (eg, incomplete or unreliable reporting of data), it could produce undesirable effects, such as misleading perceptions, stress, or anxiety [...]. Users of dashboards must therefore be assured of complete, valid, reliable, and balanced information that can support them in making informed decisions as they deal with the pandemic. Information can be actionable only if it is fit for purpose and fit for use. Important determinations in the development of dashboards therefore include the selection and standardization of indicators at national and international levels, sources of data collection, analysis of data, and visualization techniques chosen to display the data [...]. The World Health Organization (WHO) advised 4 key types of information needed to effectively manage transitions and modulate restrictive measures over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) public health and epidemiological, (2) health system management, (3) behavioral insights, and (4) social and economic impact [...]."

JMIR Publications

Bos, Véronique L. L. C.; Jansen, Tessa; Klazinga, Niek S. . . .

2021-10-12
Pandemic-Related Contract Actions

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From the Document: "On June 5, 2020, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) received a congressional request with questions about high-risk contractors (e.g., first-time contractors and contractors operating outside their normal scope of business) and the procurement process (e.g., how contractors were vetted). [...] To meet our objectives, we inspected the following contract actions that occurred from March 18, 2020, through October 31, 2020: [1] 80 high-risk contract actions with CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act or pandemic-related coding, totaling $16,791,141 to determine whether contract terms and conditions were fulfilled[;] [2] All DOI [U.S. Department of the Interior] contract actions (both CARES Act and non-CARES Act related) to determine whether bureaus and offices followed departmental guidance and properly accounted for COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] and pandemic-related contract actions using the correct National Interest Action (NIA) code[;] [3] The 523 CARES Act and pandemic-related contract actions to provide information regarding the number of first-time contractors, the number of contractors providing services outside of their regular scope of business, and any contracts awarded without competition (per the congressional request)[.]"

United States. Department of the Interior. Office of Inspector General

2021-10-12
Regional Heterogeneity in COVID-19 Risk in the United States During the Time of Delta (July 1 - September 15, 2021): The US South Suffers the Highest Case and Death Rates and Greatest Inequities

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From the Abstract: "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] monitoring dashboards and data journalism have actively been documenting how, among US regions, the US south has experienced the brunt of the surge associated with the delta variant, which took off in July 2021, at a time when all US adults had been eligible for vaccination for at least 3 months. However, less attention has been given to regional heterogeneity in COVID-19 inequities. In this brief report, we document that during the period July 1 - September 15, 2021, the US South not only has experienced the highest COVID-19 case and death rates (per 100,000 person-years), as previously noted, but also that this region has the highest COVID-19 inequities, as measured using a variety of county-level social metrics."

Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies

Krieger, Nancy; Chen, Jarvis T.; Testa, Christian . . .

2021-10-12
False Allegations of Biological-Weapons Use from Putin's Russia

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From the Abstract: "From 1949 until 1988, the Soviet Union conducted a nearly continuous campaign of false allegations of biological-weapon (BW) use by the United States. In 1995, senior Russian military officials revived this pattern of false allegations, which continues to the present day. Russian officials amplified the campaign after the US government funded the transformation of former Soviet BW facilities in the Commonwealth of Independent States under the Nunn-Lugar program. The outbreak of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic in China in January 2020 prompted a very greatly expanded Russian-government BW-related disinformation effort. This paper aims to present a reasonably comprehensive account of these activities and to assess their significance. The Russian government under President Vladimir Putin has demonstrated open disdain for both the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention." An appendix is also available for this document: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=859835]

Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group

Leitenberg, Milton

2021-10-12
Amid the Pandemic, Black and Latino Men Have Experienced the Largest Drop in Life Expectancy: We Need to Examine the Social Determinants of Health to Determine Why

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From the Webpage: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] virus was the third leading cause of death in 2020 after heart disease and cancer, claiming approximately 375,000 American lives [hyperlink]. As a result of this pandemic, U.S. life expectancy declined by a full year-and-one-half, according to The National Center for Health Statistics [hyperlink]. But for specific racial groups the drop in life expectancy has been more pronounced. Black and Latino or Hispanic people experienced a staggering 2.9- and 3-year downturn in life expectancy, respectively, compared to 1.2 years for white people. [...] Understanding life expectancy declines caused by COVID-19 provides an opportunity to spotlight racial and health disparities related to the pandemic and beyond. The pandemic exacerbated existing disparities in work, education, housing and health care. In this paper, we use a social determinants of health framework to explore some of the factors contributing to why Black and Latino or Hispanic individuals have experienced a noticeably larger decline in life expectancy over the last year."

Brookings Institution

Perry, Andre M.; Shiro, Ariel Gelrud; Barr, Anthony . . .

2021-10-11
Statin Use and COVID-19 Infectivity and Severity in South Korea: Two Population-Based Nationwide Cohort Studies

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From the Introduction: "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] is caused by SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2], and started in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 12, 2020 [...]. In Korea, the first COVID-19 patient was diagnosed on January 20, 2020. During the period from January 1, 2020, to May 31, 2020, the number of daily confirmed COVID-19 cases was less than 2000 and the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases was 11,468 with 270 deaths [...]. During this pandemic phase, efficient strategies for triage and therapeutics are crucial due to the high number of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the relatively limited facilities and medical resources [...]. The effective treatment of patients with COVID-19 has still not been established. Previous studies have suggested potential therapeutic candidates, including antimalarial drugs [...], antivirals such as lopinavir and ritonavir in combination [...], remdesivir [...], previous bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination [...], famotidine [...], and immunoglobulin-containing sera from convalescent patients with COVID-19 [...]. However, antimalarial drugs and the lopinavir-ritonavir combination proved ineffective in clinical trials [...], and previous studies on BCG vaccination, famotidine, and immunoglobulin-containing sera had small sample sizes and preliminary study designs [...]. Remdesivir improved clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19, but it is not readily available[.]"

JMIR Publications

Lee, Seung Won; Kim, So Young; Moon, Sung Yong . . .

2021-10-08
Political Lean: A Crucial Variable for Monitoring COVID-19 in the United States

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From the Abstract: "Descriptions and monitoring of the social and spatial population distribution of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] cases and deaths in the US have largely relied on individual- and county-level sociodemographic data and vulnerability indices that draw primarily or exclusively from data available in US health records and US census data. In this brief report, using US data from September 1, 2020 to September 15, 2021, we provide empirical evidence demonstrating that county-level data on political lean (Republican vs. Democrat for the 2020 US presidential election) adds critical information to understanding population distributions of COVID [coronavirus disease] cases and deaths - and also document the importance of socioeconomic variables in addition to data on racialized groups."

Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies

Krieger, Nancy; Chen, Jarvis T.; Testa, Christian . . .

2021-10-08
MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 8, 2021

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The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This issue of MMWR contains the following: "HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis Awareness and Referral to Providers Among Hispanic/Latino Persons -- United States, 2019"; "Prevalence of Arthritis and Arthritis-Attributable Activity Limitation -- United States, 2016-2018"; "Walking and Other Common Physical Activities Among Adults with Arthritis -- United States, 2019"; "Distribution of SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Variants in a Large Integrated Health Care System -- California, March-July 2021"; "Multicomponent Strategies to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Transmission -- Nine Overnight Youth Summer Camps, United States, June-August 2021"; "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Outbreaks at Youth Summer Camps -- Louisiana, June-July 2021"; "National and State Trends in Anxiety and Depression Severity Scores Among Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic -- United States, 2020-2021"; and "QuickStats: Percentage of Women Aged 25-44 Years Who Had Ever Used Infertility Services, by Type of Service -- National Survey of Family Growth, United States, 2006-2010 and 2015-2019." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from this issue can be accessed at the following link [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2021.html].

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)

2021-10-08
COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey Report #66: Update on Executive Approval

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From the Document: "The COVID [coronavirus disease] States Project survey regularly asks people in all 50 states about their approval of their governors and the President. Since our last report on executive approval, which examined trends through March 2021, the pandemic has notably evolved, with huge surges of cases and deaths associated with the Delta variant throughout the summer and early fall. Most states reacted to the dip in coronavirus infections and increase in vaccinations in late spring and early summer by lifting indoor mask mandates, only to struggle to adapt as cases surged again in the late summer and early fall 2021. Some of these states were responding to CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidance [hyperlink], which announced in May that fully vaccinated people no longer needed to wear masks indoors or outdoors, only to reverse that guidance a few months later and recommend masks indoors for Americans living in areas of high transmission regardless of vaccination status. Other states rebuffed the guidance of public health agencies by, for instance, banning mask mandates in schools, businesses, and other public places. These policy decisions received wide criticism1 particularly as COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths surged in those states with the loosest pandemic restrictions. [...] In this report, we examine the approval of governors and the President for their handling of the pandemic -- and for the president's overall approval -- over time across the U.S. to assess how the public reacted to the policy decisions and developments surrounding the pandemic as well as state and federal governmental responses."

Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy; Harvard Medical School . . .

Safarpour, Alauna; Quintana, Alexi; Baum, Matthew A., 1965- . . .

2021-10-08
COVID-19-Related Loan Assistance for Agricultural Enterprises [Updated October 7, 2021]

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From the Document: "The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act; P.L. 116-136) created the Small Business Administration's (SBA's) Paycheck Protection Program [hyperlink] (PPP), expanded eligibility for Emergency Economic Injury Disaster Loans [hyperlink](EIDLs), and established Emergency EIDL grants to provide short-term, economic relief to certain small businesses and nonprofits [hyperlink]. The CARES Act also made certain agricultural enterprises eligible for SBA COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] relief. When the SBA stopped accepting PPP loan applications on May 31, 2021, it had approved more than 11.8 million PPP loans, totaling nearly $800 billion."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Dilger, Robert Jay, 1954-; Lindsay, Bruce R.

2021-10-07
Adoption of Preventive Measures During the Very Early Phase of the COVID-19 Outbreak in China: National Cross-Sectional Survey Study

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From the Introduction: "The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020 and declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Globally, there were 177.9 million infections and 3.8 million deaths (June 22, 2021), respectively. In China, the outbreak coincided with the critical 7-day Chinese New Year holidays (January 25 to February 1), during which billions of trips were made across the country. On January 20, 2020, the government announced evidence of human-to-human transmission. Wuhan (the epicenter) was immediately locked down, and subsequently, other cities were also locked down. Comprehensive control measures were enacted (eg, testing, quarantining, contact tracing, cancelling public events, closing of public areas, extending Chinese New Year holidays, and mandatory face-mask wearing), and patients with COVID-19 were treated in more than 30 speedily built hospitals by medical specialists in different provinces across the country. Many countries soon used similar standard strategies to combat COVID-19."

JMIR Publications

Lau, Joseph; Yu, Yanqiu; Xin, Meiqi . . .

2021-10-07
Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Jordan: Secondary Data Analysis

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From the Introduction: "The impact of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] and its response measures on health, economy, and society has been substantial. By the end of 2020, more than 380 million COVID-19 cases were confirmed worldwide, and more than 1.9 million deaths were attributed to COVID-19 [...]. In Jordan, the death toll has reached 3834, with more than 294,000 people diagnosed with COVID-19 at the end of 2020 [...]. The number of officially reported COVID-19 deaths in Jordan [...] does not reflect the true burden of the pandemic because some people with COVID-19 died without being diagnosed and because of the indirect impact of COVID-19 and its response measures."

JMIR Publications

Khader, Yousef Saleh; Al-Nsour, Mohannad

2021-10-07
Burnout in Hospital-Based Healthcare Workers During COVID-19

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From the Summary: "Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and diminished professional achievement. Prior to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, severe burnout was typically found in 20%-40% of healthcare workers. Contributors include workplace factors (e.g., workload, interpersonal conflict, moral distress, administrative burdens and documentation) and provider factors (e.g., low self-efficacy, emotional exhaustion, reduced sense of personal accomplishment,). Burnout is harmful for the healthcare system, workers, and patients. Risk factors have been exacerbated during the pandemic, resulting in an urgent need for intervention. This brief focuses on healthcare workers in hospitals. Similar challenges exist in other healthcare settings (e.g., long-term care, primary health care, public health), which are not reviewed here."

Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table

Maunder, Robert G.; Heeney, Natalie D.; Strudwick, Gillian . . .

2021-10-07
White House Report: Vaccination Requirements Are Helping Vaccinate More People, Protect Americans from COVID-19, and Strengthen the Economy

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From the Executive Summary: "Since January, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken aggressive actions to make vaccinations free and convenient, executed a robust campaign to educate Americans about the importance of getting vaccinated, and deployed hundreds of millions of dollars in resources for states, localities, Tribes, and community organizations to encourage vaccinations. These efforts have led to tremendous success. At the start of the year, only 34% of adult Americans were eager to get vaccinated. Today, 78% of adults have at least their first shot. Overall, more than 185 million Americans are fully vaccinated--up from just 2 million when the President took office. [...] This is significant progress, but after months of education and incentives, additional actions needed to be taken in order to reach the tens of millions of people who remained unvaccinated. The strain on our hospital systems, our economy, and the risk to our children was too great not to use every tool available. To that end, last month, the President laid out a six-part plan to accelerate our path out of the pandemic. Central to that plan is getting remaining Americans vaccinated, and to do so, the President announced vaccination requirements that in total will cover approximately 100 million people. As this report demonstrates, it is clear that vaccination requirements result in millions more people getting vaccinated. Without vaccination requirements, we face endless months of chaos in our hospitals, further detrimental impacts on our economy, and anxiety in our schools. With them, we will accelerate our path out of the pandemic."

United States. White House Office

2021-10-07
COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #64: Continued High Public Support for Mandating Vaccines

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From the Document: "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] continues to surge in the United States and elsewhere, propelled by the highly contagious Delta variant. As of this writing (on September 29, 2021), about three quarters (76% [hyperlink]) of the eligible U.S. population (age 12 and up) have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This is likely not enough to achieve herd immunity in the United States. Though the specific number remains uncertain, a recent estimate [hyperlink] by the Infectious Diseases Society of America suggests that over 80% of the 'entire' population must be 'fully' vaccinated to reach herd immunity. More worrisome, around 1 in 5 Americans, depending on the poll, continue to say they are either uncertain or will not get the vaccine. In our most recent survey wave (fielded from August 26 to September 27, 2021), 10% of respondents who indicated that they are not yet vaccinated claimed they are extremely unlikely to get it. Another 12% are 'somewhat' unlikely to seek the vaccine. In recent weeks, the Biden administration has shifted tactics in its efforts to get as many Americans as possible vaccinated. The Administration had from the outset emphasized the benefits of getting vaccinated as its primary strategy for persuading reluctant Americans to do so. [...] In this report, we update our assessment of public support for vaccine mandates, both nationally and across the 50 states, based on our September survey wave." The previous July 2021 report can be found at [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=858570].

Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy; Harvard Medical School . . .

Baum, Matthew A., 1965-; Uslu, Ata A.; Shere, Anjuli . . .

2021-10-06
COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #65: COVID-19 Vaccine Attitudes Among Healthcare Workers

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From the Document: "This report is an update to our February [hyperlink], March [hyperlink], and August [hyperlink] reports on attitudes and vaccination rates of healthcare workers, including vaccine resistance, vaccine hesitancy. [...] The vaccination rates of healthcare workers are of particular importance because they are more likely to be conduits of exposure [hyperlink] for vulnerable individuals. Here we revisit our earlier report [hyperlink] on the vaccination rates of healthcare workers between June and September. From June 2021 to September 2021, vaccination rates and attitudes among healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers change only slightly, where vaccination rates increase only modestly." Previous reports can be found at [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=850470], [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=868016], and [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=858568].

Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy; Harvard Medical School . . .

Lazer, David; Qu, Hong; Quintana, Alexi . . .

2021-10-06
Associations Between County-Level Vaccination Rates and COVID-19 Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries

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From the Key Points: "[1] COVID-19 [Coronavirus Disease 2019] vaccines are a key component in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical data show vaccines are highly effective in preventing COVID-19 infections and severe outcomes including hospitalization and death. [2] In this analysis of individual-level health data and county-level vaccination rates, we find that higher county vaccination rates were associated with significant reductions in the odds of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death among Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries between January and May 2021. [3] Comparing the rates of these outcomes to what our model predicts would have happened without any vaccinations, we estimate COVID-19 vaccinations were linked to estimated reductions of approximately 107,000 infections, 43,000 hospitalizations, and 16,000 deaths in our study sample of 25.3 million beneficiaries. These estimates correspond to estimated reductions of approximately 265,000 infections, 107,000 hospitalizations, and 39,000 deaths for the full Medicare population of 62.7 million people. [4] After accounting for the potential underreporting of COVID-19 deaths in Medicare FFS claims data, and considering alternative models, the number of deaths prevented among the full Medicare population could plausibly range from 12,000 to 49,000 deaths. [5] Reductions in cumulative weekly deaths were found nationally, for all racial and ethnic groups, and across all 48 states included in our sample. [6] The difference in vaccination rates for those age 65 and older between the lowest (34%) and highest (85%) counties and states by the end of May highlights the continued opportunity to leverage COVID-19 vaccinations to prevent COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths."

United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Office of Health Policy

Samson, Lok Wong; Tarazi, Wafa; Orav, E. J. (Endel John) . . .

2021-10-05
COVID-19: Potential Implications for International Security Environment-- Overview of Issues and Further Reading for Congress [Updated October 5, 2021]

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From the Summary: "Some observers argue the COVID-19 [Coronavirus Disease 2019] pandemic could be a world-changing event with potentially profound and long-lasting implications for the international security environment. Other observers are more skeptical that the pandemic will have such effects. In reports issued in March and April 2021, the U.S. intelligence community provided assessments of the potential impact of the pandemic on the international security environment. Observers who argue the pandemic could be world-changing for the international security environment have focused on several areas of potential change, including the following, which are listed here separately but overlap in some cases and can interact with one another: [1] world order, international institutions, and global governance; [2] U.S. global leadership and the U.S. role in the world; [3] China's potential role as a global leader; [4] U.S. relations and great power competition with China and Russia; [5] the relative prevalence of democratic and authoritarian or autocratic forms of government; [6] societal tension, reform, transformation, and governmental stability in various countries; [7] the world economy, globalization, and U.S. trade policy; [8] allied defense spending and U.S. alliances; [9] the cohesion of the European Union; [10] the definition of, and budgeting for, U.S. national security; [11] U.S. defense strategy, defense budgets, and military operations; [12] U.S. foreign assistance programs, international debt relief, and refugee policy; [13] activities of non-state actors; [14] the amount of U.S. attention devoted to ongoing international issues other than the pandemic; and [15] the role of Congress in setting and overseeing the execution of U.S. foreign and defense policy."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

O'Rourke, Ronald; McInnis, Kathleen J.

2021-10-05
Global Economic Effects of COVID-19 [Updated October 4, 2021]

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From the Summary: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] viral pandemic is an unprecedented global phenomenon that is also a highly personal experience with wide-ranging effects. On September 20, 2021, U.S. viral deaths surpassed the 675,446 total from the 1918 Spanish flu, the previous worst U.S. pandemic-related death total on record. The pandemic has disrupted lives across all countries and communities and negatively affected global economic growth in 2020 beyond anything experienced in nearly a century. Estimates indicate the virus reduced global economic growth in 2020 to an annualized rate of around -3.2%,with a recovery of 6.0% projected for 2021. Global trade is estimated to have fallen by 5.3% in 2020, but is projected to grow by 8.0% in 2021. According to a consensus of forecasts, the economic downturn in 2020 was not as negative as initially estimated, due in part to the fiscal and monetary policies governments adopted in 2020. In most countries, economic growth fell sharply in the second quarter of 2020, rebounded quickly in the third quarter, and has been mostly positive since. Although lessening, the total global economic effects continue to mount. [...] This report provides an overview of the global economic costs to date and the response by governments and international institutions to address these effects."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Jackson, James K., 1949-; Nelson, Rebecca M.; Weiss, Martin A. . . .

2021-10-04
Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (Volume 28, Number 10)

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This October 2021 edition of the Medical Surveillance Monthly Report contains the following articles: "Update: Cold weather injuries, active and reserve components, U.S. Armed Forces, July 2016-June 2021"; "Brief report: The challenge of interpreting recurrent SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] positive tests among military service members, Fort Jackson, SC, 2020-2021" by Paul O. Kwon, Sarah K. Shadwick Sara L. Bazaco, Lindsay C. Morton, Laurie J. Hartman, Tara L. Hall, and James D. Mancuso; " Surveillance snapshot: History of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccination among Air Force recruits arriving at basic training, 2 March-15 June 2021" by Dianne Frankel; and "Surveillance snapshot: Influenza immunization among U.S. Armed Forces health care workers, August 2016-April 2021."

Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (U.S.)

2021-10
COVID-19 Relief Assistance to Small Businesses: Issues and Policy Options [Updated October 1, 2021]

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From the Summary: "The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) administers several types of programs to support small businesses, including direct disaster loan programs for businesses, homeowners, and renters; loan guaranty and venture capital programs; management and technical assistance training programs; and contracting programs. Congressional interest in these programs has become especially acute in the wake of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic's widespread adverse economic impact on the national economy."

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Dilger, Robert Jay, 1954-; Lindsay, Bruce R.

2021-10-01
States Respond to COVID-19 Challenges but Also Take Advantage of New Opportunities to Address Long-Standing Issues: Results from a 50-State Medicaid Budget Survey for State Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022

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From the Executive Summary: "The coronavirus pandemic has generated both a public health crisis and an economic crisis, with major implications for Medicaid--a countercyclical program--and its beneficiaries. The pandemic has profoundly affected Medicaid program spending, enrollment, [hyperlink] and policy, challenging state Medicaid agencies, providers, and enrollees in a variety of ways. As states continue to respond to pandemic challenges, they are also pushing forward non-emergency initiatives as well as preparing for the unwinding of the public health emergency (PHE) and the return to a new normal of operations. [...] This report highlights certain policies in place in state Medicaid programs in state fiscal year (FY) 2021 and policy changes implemented or planned for FY 2022, which began on July 1, 2021 for most states; we also highlight state experiences with policies adopted in response to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. The findings are drawn from the 21st annual budget survey of Medicaid officials in all 50 states and the District of Columbia conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and Health Management Associates (HMA), in collaboration with the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD). States completed this survey in mid-summer of 2021, following increased vaccination rates and declining COVID-19 cases but just prior to a new wave of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths driven by the highly contagious Delta variant. Overall, 47 states responded to this year's survey, although response rates for specific questions varied. This report summarizes key findings across five sections: delivery systems, benefits and telehealth, social determinants of health (which also includes information on health equity and COVID-19 vaccine uptake), provider rates and taxes, and pharmacy."

National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD); Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

Gifford, Kathleen; Lashbrook, Aimee; Barth, Sarah . . .

2021-10

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