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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Impact in Africa [Updated December 22, 2021]
From the Document: "In December 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of a 'fourth wave' of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] cases across much of Africa, notably in southern Africa. This followed South Africa's genomic identification and notification to international health authorities of the new 'Omicron' variant, first detected in Botswana. Public fatigue with infection control measures, the Delta variant, and low vaccination rates helped drive earlier waves of cases in many African countries in 2021. Omicron's rapid spread prompted countries around the world (including the United States) to restrict travel from southern Africa, which African leaders decried as punitive and discriminatory. Overall, confirmed cases and deaths in sub-Saharan Africa (hereinafter, 'Africa') have been lower than in other world regions and concentrated in a few countries, with the majority in South Africa (Figure 1). As access to testing has been low in many countries, some health experts posit that actual caseloads and mortality may be higher."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Arieff, Alexis; Blanchard, Lauren Ploch; Cook, Nicolas . . .
2021-12-22
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Alleviating Food Insecurity in the Disabled Community: Lessons Learned from Community Solutions During the Pandemic
From the Webpage: "Disability and food insecurity have a close and well-documented relationship. Inequities in economic opportunity for disabled people have made disability a key factor in predicting vulnerability to food insecurity; in turn, increased food insecurity is also associated with higher rates of disabilities related to chronic illness. This issue brief provides background on long-standing barriers to food security and access for disabled people in the United States. It then discusses the coronavirus pandemic's impacts and highlights disability and community organizations' solutions to these issues. Finally, it provides recommendations for the federal government to alleviate food insecurity in the disability community, including by expanding the definition of disability for anti-poverty programs, disaggregating data to include disability in hunger and food systems research, increasing federal funding to target food insecurity, and expanding and making permanent the online food purchasing pilot program in all states. Centering the experiences of community organizations that have worked to meet people's basic needs on a day-to-day basis--coupled with necessary policy changes at the federal level--is essential to beginning to address hunger in the disability community, both during and after the pandemic."
Center for American Progress
Ives-Rublee, Mia; Sloane, Christine
2021-12-21
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) on Health Care Employment and Vaccinations and Testing for Large Employers [December 21, 2021]
From the Summary: "The OSHA COVID-19 ETS [Occupational Safety and Health Administration Coronavirus Disease 2019 Emergency Temporary Standards] for health care employers requires health care employers to develop COVID-19 plans and protect employees from COVID-19 exposure through health screenings, personal protective equipment (PPE), building ventilation, and physical distancing and barriers. The ETS requires health care employers to remove any employees with COVID-19 from the workplace while providing them with certain benefits. Health care employers are not required to mandate that their employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine but must provide reasonable time off for employees to receive a vaccine and recover from any vaccine-related side effects. The ETS includes new COVID-19 recordkeeping and reporting requirements for health care employers and permits health care employers to forgo the medical evaluation and fit-testing requirements of OSHA's respiratory protection standard when providing respirators to employees in certain circumstances."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Szymendera, Scott
2021-12-21
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Business Interruption Insurance and COVID-19 [Updated December 21, 2021]
From the Document: "The economic disruption from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has provoked debate among insurers, policyholders, and other stakeholders about who is responsible for these losses. The loss of income from mandatory or voluntary closures, supply chain disruptions, and reduced demand due to social distancing measures has induced businesses of all sizes to seek compensation from insurers. The focus of the policy debate has been on commercial insurance that covered income losses from business interruption (BI) and similar insurance that covered losses from event cancellation. Such concerns may be revived as businesses consider closures due to the Omicron variant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Horn, Diane P.; Webel, Baird
2021-12-21
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Three State Prison Oversight During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case for Increased Transparency, Accountability and Monitoring Based on Experiences from Illinois, New York and Pennsylvania
From the Executive Summary: "This report documents the impact of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic and the response in prisons in Illinois, New York and Pennsylvania - the only three states in the country with non-governmental oversight bodies. It is based on publicly available information as well as information collected directly by these oversight agencies: The John Howard Association of Illinois (JHA, founded in 1901), The Pennsylvania Prison Society (The Society, founded in 1787) and The Correctional Association of New York (CANY, founded in 1844). It provides data unavailable in states lacking similar independent oversight, and it tells a story of very different responses to comparable challenges, and a lack of transparency on the details of the crisis and policies developed in response."
Pennsylvania Prison Society; John Howard Association (Chicago, Ill.); Correctional Association of New York
2021-12-21?
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Role of Non-COVID-Specific and COVID-Specific Factors in Predicting a Shift in Willingness to Vaccinate: A Panel Study
From the Document: "Although declines in intent to vaccinate had been identified in international surveys conducted between June and October 2020, including in the United States, some individuals in the United States who previously expressed reluctance said, in spring 2021, that they were willing to vaccinate. That change raised the following questions: What factors predicted an increased willingness to inoculate against COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]? And, to what extent was the change driven by COVID-specific factors, such as personal worry about the disease and COVID-specific misinformation, and to what extent by background (non-COVID-specific) factors, such as trust in medical authorities, accurate/inaccurate information about vaccination, vaccination history, and patterns of media reliance? This panel study of more than 8,000 individuals found that trust in health authorities anchored acceptance of vaccination and that knowledge about vaccination, flu vaccination history, and patterns of media reliance played a more prominent role in shifting individuals from vaccination hesitance to acceptance than COVID-specific factors. COVID-specific conspiracy beliefs did play a role, although a lesser one. These findings underscore the need to reinforce trust in health experts, facilitate community engagement with them, and preemptively communicate the benefits and safety record of authorized vaccines. The findings suggest, as well, the need to identify and deploy messaging able to undercut health-related conspiracy beliefs when they begin circulating."
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Jamieson, Kathleen Hall; Romer, Daniel, 1946-; Jamieson, Patrick E., 1973- . . .
2021-12-20
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Proposals for a COVID-19 Congressional Advisory Commission in the 117th Congress: A Comparative Analysis [December 20, 2021]
From the Summary: "Historically, Congress creates temporary advisory commissions to assist in the development of public policy. Among other contexts, Congress has created commissions following a crisis, including the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the 2008 financial crisis. In such situations, advisory commissions may provide Congress with a high-visibility forum to assemble expertise that might not exist within the legislative environment; allow for the in-depth examination of complex, crosscutting policy issues; and lend bipartisan credibility to a set of findings and recommendations. In other situations, Congress may determine that an advisory commission is unnecessary and instead prefer to utilize existing congressional oversight structures, such as standing or select committees. This report provides a comparative analysis of six congressional advisory commissions proposed in the 117th Congress that would investigate various aspects of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, governmental responses, governmental pandemic preparedness, and the virus's impact on the U.S. economy and society. Each proposed commission would be similar in many respects, both to each other and to previous independent congressional advisory commissions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Straus, Jacob R.
2021-12-20
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COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Installation Status Update [As of December 20, 2021]
From the Document: "Travel Restrictions LIFTED at 208 of 230 Installations (90%) (Met: Step 1 & Step 2)[.] Of the 208 installations with lifted travel restrictions this week, 1 reinstated travel restrictions while 0 lifted restrictions."
United States. Department of Defense
2021-12-20
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Force Health Protection Guidance (Supplement 23) Revision 3 - Department of Defense Guidance for Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination Attestation, Screening Testing, and Vaccination Verification
From the Document: "This memorandum [...] provides updated guidance for implementing additional force health protection and workplace safety measures directed by the White House Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (reference (b)) to reduce the transmission of the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). [...] DoD civilian employees were required to be fully vaccinated by November 22,2021, subject to exemptions as required by law. For purposes of this guidance, 'DoD civilian employee' includes foreign nationals employed by DoD outside the United States to the maximum extent possible while respecting host nation agreements and laws. It also includes DoD civilian employees who are engaged in full-time telework or remote work."
United States. Department of Defense
2021-12-20
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COVID-19 State of Vaccine Confidence Insights Report 20 (November 9 - 29, 2021)
From the Summary: "Consumers and news outlets had questions and concerns about the SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Omicron variant. The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] State of Vaccine Confidence Insights Rapid SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant Report was published on December 10, 2021[.] [...] Additionally, the public continued to have questions and expressed frustration about vaccine guidance. Consumers also expressed growing interest in using alternatives to the COVID-19 vaccines, such as therapeutics and infection-acquired immunity. Finally, consumers continue to have questions and concerns about COVID-19 vaccines for children and COVID-19 vaccine booster doses. [...] Federal, state, and local partners should continue to work together to explain the rationale for updated guidance, respond to gaps in information, and confront misinformation with evidence-based messaging. The goal of these efforts is to increase confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and expand vaccine uptake more broadly. To increase vaccine confidence and optimize clinical encounters, continue to disseminate messages about the safety of receiving the COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same appointment for adults and children. Finally, partner with trusted messengers, especially pharmacists, vaccine champions, and healthcare workers, to increase their knowledge regarding the safety of receiving the COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same appointment and communicate this to the public."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2021-12-20
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Review of State Plans for Use of Governor's Emergency Education Relief Funds
From the Document: "The objectives of our review were to review States' initial 45-day GEER [Governor's Emergency Education Relief] Fund reports to determine how States plan to allocate funds to entities within the three authorized categories: local educational agencies (LEA), institutions of higher education (IHE), and education-related entities, and the criteria upon which these decisions were based; and review GEER Fund annual reports to identify changes to and progress made from the initial plans in the 45-day reports. To accomplish our objective, we reviewed plans submitted by each of the 50 States, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, to determine how they planned to allocate funds to entities within the three authorized categories and the criteria upon which these decisions were based. [...] The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020. It authorized more than $2 trillion to battle Coronavirus Disease 2019 (coronavirus) and its economic effects. The CARES Act provided approximately $31 billion for an Education Stabilization Fund to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally. The Education Stabilization Fund is composed of three primary emergency relief funds: a GEER Fund, an Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, and a Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund."
United States. Department of Education. Office of Inspector General
2021-12-20
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Guidance on Eligibility for a Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Booster Dose
From the Document: "On November 29, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published updated guidance on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19) vaccine boosters recommending all adults 18 years and older receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose 6 months following completion of an initial Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty or Moderna vaccine series, or 2 months following a primary dose of Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. Consistent with CDC guidance, it is recommended that individuals 18 years of age or older should obtain a COVID-19 booster dose if they: [1] Have completed the primary Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine series (i.e., received the second dose of the vaccine) more than 6 months ago, or; [2] Have received a primary dose of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine more than 2 months ago. Individuals ages 16 or 17 can obtain a Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty COVID-19 booster dose if they have completed the primary Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine series (i.e., received the second dose of the vaccine) more than 6 months ago. Receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose is not mandatory for any DOD personnel and a booster dose is not required for an individual to be considered fully vaccinated. Personnel are still considered to be fully vaccinated 2 weeks after receiving the second dose in a two-dose vaccine series (e.g., Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, Moderna vaccines), or 2 weeks after a singledose vaccine (e.g., Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine)."
United States. Department of Defense. Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness
Cisneros, Gilbert R., Jr.
2021-12-17
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Millions Embrace Covid-19 Misinformation, Which is Linked to Hesitancy on Vaccination and Boosters
From the Document: "Twenty-one months into the global pandemic, millions of Americans continue to believe misinformation about vaccination and Covid-19, and these beliefs are associated with hesitancy to get themselves and their children vaccinated - or, if they are vaccinated, to get a booster for added protection against the omicron and delta variants. In the fourth survey conducted with a nationally representative sample of more than 1,600 U.S. adults, in November 2021 the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania continued its tracking of misbeliefs and conspiracy theories that have persisted and, in rare cases, grown since the inception of the pandemic. The policy center has been conducting this panel study since April 2021, and began tracking beliefs about the novel coronavirus and vaccination even earlier, with cross-sectional surveys beginning in March 2020. [...] Although confidence in him remains high, the survey also found a softening of support for Dr. Anthony Fauci, who directs the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The face of the U.S. pandemic response, Fauci has weathered an extended onslaught of unjustified attacks in conservative and ultraconservative media. While his overall support is unchanged, with two-thirds of Americans confident Fauci is providing trustworthy information on treating and preventing Covid-19, the group of those who support him most strongly has diminished while the ranks of those with no confidence have grown."
Annenberg Public Policy Center
2021-12-17
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Cybersecurity and Telework During the COVID-19 Pandemic
From the Document: "The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform requested the Department of the Treasury Office of Inspector General identify any vulnerabilities created or exacerbated by the Department of the Treasury's use of remote access software to facilitate telework during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and whether any such vulnerabilities were effectively mitigated. TIGTA [Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration] coordinated with the Office of Inspector General and completed this review to address the Committee's request relative to the IRS [Internal Revenue Service]. Our overall objective was to review cybersecurity related to IRS telework during the COVID-19 pandemic. [...] The United States has recently been the target of several high-profile cyberattacks. As cybersecurity threats against the Federal Government and other entities continue to grow, protecting the confidentiality of taxpayer information continues to be a top concern for the IRS."
United States. Office of the Inspector General for Tax Administration
2021-12-17
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Special Authorities for Veterans' Educational Assistance Programs During the COVID-19 Emergency [Updated December 17, 2021]
From the Document: "On January 31, 2020, the Secretary of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency (COVID-19 coronavirus disease 2019] emergency) under Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. [United States Code] §247d). The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and veterans' educational assistance beneficiaries raised concerns that abrupt disruptions to programs of education, educational institutions, and employment could negatively impact the short-term finances of beneficiaries and their continued pursuit of educational programs. In response, special authorities were enacted, and amended, by [1] P.L. 116-128 on March 21, 2020; [2] the Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-140) on April 28, 2020; [3] the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act (P.L. 116-159) on October 1, 2020; and [4] the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-315) on January 5, 2021. The authorities reduce the effect of such disruptions on beneficiaries by extending benefits or not reducing benefit levels during the covered period from March 1, 2020, through December 21, 2021. The REMOTE [Responsible Education Mitigating Options and Technical Extensions Act] Act (H.R. 5545), as passed by the House on December 8, 2021, and the Senate on December 15, 2021, would extend the covered period to June 1, 2022, if signed into law by the President. Additionally, a VA administrative action provides temporary debt relief. After a brief introduction to veterans' educational assistance programs, this In Focus describes the special authorities and administrative action."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Dortch, Cassandria
2021-12-17
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, December 17, 2021
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: "Report of Health Care Provider Recommendation for COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Vaccination Among Adults, by Recipient COVID-19 Vaccination Status and Attitudes -- United States, April-September 2021"; "SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant -- United States, December 1-8, 2021"; "Booster and Additional Primary Dose COVID-19 Vaccinations Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years -- United States, August 13, 2021-November 19, 2021"; "Trends in and Characteristics of Drug Overdose Deaths Involving Illicitly Manufactured Fentanyls -- United States, 2019-2020"; "Notes from the Field: Mucormycosis Cases During the COVID-19 Pandemic -- Honduras, May-September 2021"; "Notes from the Field: COVID-19-Associated Mucormycosis -- Arkansas, July-September 2021"; and "QuickStats: Distribution of Hours per Day That Office-Based Primary Care and Specialist Care Physicians Spent Outside Normal Office Hours Documenting Clinical Care in Their Medical Record System -- United States, 2019." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from this issue can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2021.html].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2021-12-17
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COVID-19 Scenario Projections: The Emergence of Omicron in the US
From the Overview: "On November 24, 2021, South African scientists announced the rapid spread of a new SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] variant. Within days, the WHO [World Health Organization] named the variant Omicron and classified it as a variant of concern (VOC). As of December 15, 2021, many of Omicron's epidemiological characteristics remain uncertain, including its intrinsic transmissibility, ability to evade vaccine-acquired and infection-acquired immunity, and severity. To support situational awareness and planning in the United States, we simulated the emergence and spread of Omicron in the US across a range of plausible scenarios. Using a stochastic compartmental model that tracks population-level immunity against the Delta and Omicron variants derived from infections, primary vaccines, and booster vaccines, we project COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] cases, hospitalizations and deaths over a six month period beginning on December 1, 2021 under 18 different scenarios."
University of Texas at Austin. COVID-19 Modeling Consortium
Bouchnita, Anass; Fox, Spencer J.; Lachmann, Michael . . .
2021-12-16
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General State and Local Fiscal Assistance and COVID-19: Eligible Purposes, Allocations, and Use Data [December 16, 2021]
From the Summary: "The sudden decline in economic output following the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has significantly altered the fiscal outlook for state and local governments, which generally balance their operating budgets every one or two years. In an effort to mitigate adverse fiscal consequences for these governments and the economic activity they support, Congress provided two rounds of general fiscal assistance to state and local governments during the COVID-19 crisis. The first round of general assistance provided a total of $150 billion through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act; P.L. 116-136), which was signed into law in March 2020. The second round of assistance was enacted in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; P.L. 117-2), signed into law in March 2021, and delivered a total of $362 billion in general assistance payments."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Driessen, Grant A.
2021-12-16
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Key Insights: State Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Programs
From the Document: "The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) is responsible for conducting and coordinating oversight of pandemic-related funds and preventing and detecting fraud. To accomplish this, the PRAC has actively engaged with State Auditors regarding the oversight of federal pandemic funds provided to their state. The purpose of this insights report is to provide a contextual understanding of the cross-cutting challenges states faced within their unemployment insurance (UI) programs as well as highlight the substantial work that has been done by State Auditors to ensure their states' UI programs are functioning effectively. This report examines four common insights from UI findings identified across 16 State Auditor Offices."
Pandemic Response Accountability Committee
2021-12-16
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Responding to COVID-19 in Africa: Finding the Balance (Part IV, Calls to Action)
From the About This Survey: "The Partnership for Evidence-Based Response to COVID-19 (PERC) is a public-private partnership that supports evidence-based measures to reduce the impact of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] on African Union (AU) Member States. PERC collects social, economic, epidemiological, population movement and security data from Member States to help determine the acceptability, impact and effectiveness of public health and social measures (PHSMs) for COVID-19. This report distills key insights from PERC's fourth survey conducted in September 2021. The survey asked people in 19 AU Member States about their perceptions of PHSMs, vaccines, access to health care, food and income while living through the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from this survey are compared to those from commensurate surveys conducted in February 2021 and August 2020, alongside the changing epidemiological, political and social contexts, to help identify key findings, policy actions and tools to strengthen outbreak response and preparedness. The PERC survey was conducted by phone with approximately 23,000 people across 19 Member States in five geographical regions between 10 September to 4 October 2021. The weighted national sample size in each of the surveyed Member States for all surveys was 1,200 completed interviews."
Partnership for Evidence-Based Response to COVID-19 (PERC)
2021-12-15?
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Challenges in Inferring Intrinsic Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant from Early Population-Level Impact
From the Abstract: "Inferring the severity of an emerging infectious agent presents specific challenges due to the inevitably imperfect state of data early in an epidemic. Here we specifically consider the additional impact of existing population immunity on estimates of intrinsic virulence, using the example of early evidence of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] emerging in South Africa. Without accounting for vaccination rates and prior infections, among other factors, the true risk of severe infection will be systematically underestimated. At the time of writing it is premature to consider Omicron infections to be intrinsically milder that those caused by preceding variants."
Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies
Bhattacharyya, Roby Paul; Hanage, William
2021-12-15
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U.S. - Canadian Border: Recovering from COVID-19
From the Executive Summary: "'The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars' Canada Institute convened a Task Force on Public Health and the U.S.-Canadian Border to study the use of border restrictions to slow the spread of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic and associated variants.' We began this effort six months after the border restrictions had been introduced on a temporary basis for 30 days only, and we have seen them renewed every 30 days since, with no bilateral plan from Washington or Ottawa on the conditions that might permit a return to normal border operations, or perhaps a 'new normal.' The Wilson Task Force has received briefings, studies, and advice from hundreds of experts, government officials, and private citizens. This report has been enriched by this input, as has our understanding of what has been the longest period of restriction of the U.S.-Canada border in history and the impact this has had and may continue to have on the relationship between the United States and Canada. The governments of the United States and Canada have now announced specific measures to ease the pandemic border restrictions for particular categories of traveler, subject to specific requirements. This is the beginning of what we hope will be a continued easing of restrictions when pandemic conditions permit. The Task Force applauds these important changes and hopes for more. This report considers the effects of the border restrictions and our recommendations to current and future policymakers on how to learn from the border restriction experiment begun in March 2020 and - despite recent changes - still ongoing."
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Canada Institute
2021-12-15?
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FHA Borrowers Did Not Always Properly Receive COVID-19 Forbearances from Their Loan Servicers
From the Highlights: "The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), signed into law on March 27, 2020, provided a mortgage payment forbearance option for all borrowers who suffered a financial hardship due to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] national emergency. We audited the Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) oversight of this COVID-19 forbearance option. Several media reports and complaints filed with the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau indicated instances when servicers did not properly administer or offer COVID-19 forbearance. In addition, OIG's [Office of the Inspector General] Office of Evaluation identified issues with the forbearance information available on servicers' websites (Memorandums issued April 27, 2020 [hyperlink], and September 30, 2020 [hyperlink]). Our audit objective was to determine whether FHA-insured borrowers properly received the COVID-19- related forbearance."
United States. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Office of Inspector General
2021-12-15
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COVID-19 State of Vaccine Confidence Insights Report 19 (October 26 - November 08, 2021)
From the Summary: "This report identifies several vaccine confidence themes during this reporting period. First, despite positive vaccine uptake trends, high-profile personalities continued to express negative vaccine sentiments which elevated these conversations. Second, consumers continue to worry about side effects of available COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccines. Third, there is continued frustration about CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] revising the definition of 'vaccine' and 'vaccination'. Fourth, consumers continue to show their support and opposition to the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 - 11 years old. Fifth, states and localities continue to take legislative action against implementing vaccine requirements. Sixth, social media users expressed their support for the suspension of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Finally, consumers continue to debate the role of infection-acquired immunity in preventing the spread of COVID-19."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2021-12-14
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Conspiracy Theories and Policy Recommendations
From the Document: "This past year, INACH [International Network Against Cyber Hate] and its members have collected data about the alarming increase in conspiracy theories and disinformation, along with the effects this trend has on our world . Here is a summary of what was observed as well as a dive into our policy recommendations to combat online hate and disinformation."
International Network Against Cyber Hate
2021-12-14?
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Executive Order 14042 Requirements for COVID-19 Vaccination of Federal Contractors [Updated December 13, 2021]
From the Document: "On September 9, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., issued Executive Order (E.O.) 14042 [hyperlink] requiring parties contracting with the federal government to provide adequate COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] safeguards for their workers. Federal contracts and contract-like instruments (jointly 'contracts') must now include a clause compelling most contractors and subcontractors (at any level) to comply with prescribed COVID-19 workplace safety requirements for the duration of contracted work. Such requirements include a mandate for certain federal contractor employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by January 18, 2022 [hyperlink], allowing for exceptions only as required by law. This requirement is distinguishable from similar efforts, such as the proposed Department of Labor (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) COVID-19 vaccination rule [hyperlink] that would apply to employers with 100 or more employees--see also CRS Legal Sidebar LSB10662, 'Federal COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates and Related Litigation: An Overview', by Wen W. Shen, for a summary of these efforts. Legal challenges have paused enforcement of the mandate while litigation is ongoing."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Peters, Heidi M.; Halchin, L. Elaine
2021-12-13
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COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Installation Status Update [As of December 13, 2021]
From the Document: "Travel Restrictions LIFTED at 209 of 230 Installations (91%) (Met: Step 1 & Step 2)[.] Of the 209 installations with lifted travel restrictions this week, 6 reinstated travel restrictions while 0 lifted restrictions."
United States. Department of Defense
2021-12-13
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Fact Sheet for State and Local Governments CMS Programs & Payment for Care in Hospital Alternate Care Sites [REVISED December 13, 2021]
From the Purpose: "In response to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] public health emergency (PHE), state and local governments, hospitals, and others are developing alternate care sites to expand capacity and provide needed care to patients. The term alternate care site (ACS) is a broad term for any building or structure that is temporarily converted or newly erected for healthcare use. The Federal Healthcare Resiliency Task Force issued a toolkit [hyperlink] to help state and local governments develop an ACS. This document provides state and local governments developing alternate care sites with information on how to seek payments through CMS [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] programs - Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) - for acute inpatient and outpatient care furnished at the site."
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (U.S.)
2021-12-13
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MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, December 10, 2021: Booster and Additional Primary Dose COVID-19 Vaccinations Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years -- United States, August 13, 2021-November 19, 2021
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 Early Release issue of MMWR contains the following article: Booster and Additional Primary Dose COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Vaccinations Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years -- United States, August 13, 2021-November 19, 2021." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from MMWR can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2021.html]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2021-12-10
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MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, December 10, 2021: SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant -- United States, December 1-8, 2021
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 Early Release issue of MMWR contains the following article: "SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant -- United States, December 1-8, 2021." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from MMWR can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2021.html].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2021-12-10
