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COVID‐19 Vaccine Efficacy and the Evidence on Boosters
From the Abstract: "The need for COVID‐19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccine booster shots is controversial. Krause et al. and others have argued that need for a COVID‐19 booster for all adults has not been sufficiently established. The EU, UK, Canada, and Israel approved boosters for all adults, but U.S. regulators initially limited booster eligibility, waited nearly two months before allowing, and even longer before recommending boosters for all adults, with public health officials sending mixed messages on booster value. [...] The authors summarize vaccine efficacy against four endpoints: any infection, symptomatic infection, hospitalization, and death for the four principal vaccines used in developed Western countries [...] and evidence for waning efficacy over time, based on review of regulatory submissions and studies which met defined inclusion criteria."
Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.). Institute for Policy Research
Black, Bernard S., 1953-; Thaw, David
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 States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #72: School Board Elections
From the Document: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic and the backlash against Critical Race Theory have led to increased attention to school board elections. To better understand who votes in these elections and who attends school board meetings, this report examines the demographic characteristics of individuals who say they attended a school board meeting in the past 6 months and those who say they voted for school board at some point in the past year. [...] In the run up to the November 2021 elections, rancorous school board meetings garnered national attention and prompted U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland [hyperlink] to marshal the resources of federal authorities to address the growing threats directed at school board members nationwide. Federal involvement in the issue was sparked by a request [hyperlink] for help from the National School Board Association sent to the Biden administration in late September 2021. Given these recent events, in this report we examine participation in school board elections and school board meetings - providing survey estimates of who participates in school board elections and meetings, and what issues motivate these individuals."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy; Harvard Medical School . . .
Safarpour, Alauna; Trujillo, Kristin Lunz; Uslu, Ata A. . . .
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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COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey, Report #71: Childhood COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Intentions
From the Document: "In early November 2021, children ages 5-11 were authorized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccine, making an additional 28 million children [hyperlink] eligible for the shot. Given this significant advancement in COVID-19 vaccine availability - particularly in light of recent concerns over the Omicron variant - in this report we examine parent-reported COVID-19 vaccination intentions and uptake for children. Below, we examine reported childhood vaccination rates by childhood age and across different parent demographic subgroups. Additionally, we report parents' expressed likelihood of vaccinating their children against COVID-19 across five survey waves from February, April, June, September, and November 2021."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy; Harvard Medical School . . .
Trujillo, Kristin Lunz; Lazer, David; Simonson, Matthew . . .
2021-12-13
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COVID States Project: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey Report #70: MA Governor Charlie Baker's Approval
From the Document: "Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker's announcement [hyperlink] last week that he would not seek re-election comes on the heels of a wave of retirements [hyperlink] of moderate Republican politicians who have found themselves at odds with former President Donald Trump and his vision of the Republican Party. Governor Baker's decision to not seek re-election is somewhat surprising, given the Republican has consistently garnered some of the highest gubernatorial approval ratings according to numerous polls [hyperlink] (including our own [hyperlink]). However Baker has struggled to garner support from members of his own party, with numerous polls [hyperlink] finding higher approval among Democrats and Independents than among Republicans. Baker's struggles with his own party were on full display when President Trump endorsed [hyperlink] Baker's primary challenger, Geoff Diehl, in October. Baker faced grim primary prospects according to a Public Policy Polling poll [hyperlink] that found Baker trailing Diehl in a hypothetical matchup between the two candidates. Baker has already served two terms as leader of the Bay state, and a third consecutive term would have been unprecedented [hyperlink] for a Massachusetts governor. The Covid States Project regularly asks people in all 50 states about their approval of their governor's handling of the pandemic and, in our most recent survey, about approval of their governor's overall job performance. In this report, we focus on the approval of Governor Charlie Baker's handling of the coronavirus pandemic since April 2020, and Baker's most recent general approval rating."
Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.); Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy; Harvard Medical School . . .
Safarpour, Alauna; Perlis, Roy H.; Lazer, David . . .
2021-12-11
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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
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, December 10, 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: "Update on Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Outbreaks -- Worldwide, January 2020-June 2021"; "Comparative Effectiveness and Antibody Responses to Moderna and PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Vaccines among Hospitalized Veterans -- Five Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, United States, February 1-September 30, 2021"; "Community-Based Testing Sites for SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] -- United States, March 2020-November 2021"; "Influenza A(H3N2) Outbreak on a University Campus -- Michigan, October-November 2021"; "Notes from the Field: Deployment of an Electronic Self-Administered Survey to Assess Human Health Effects of an Industrial Chemical Facility Fire -- Winnebago County, Illinois, June-July 2021"; "Errata" for Vol. 69, No. SS-7 [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=847967] and Vol. 70, No. 37 [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=858482]; and "QuickStats: Percentage of Employed Adults Who Needed to Work Closer Than 6 Feet from Other Persons All or Most of the Time at Their Main Job, by Occupation -- National Health Interview Survey, United States, July-December 2020." 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.)
2021-12-10
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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 [Updated December 10, 2021]
From the Summary: "On June 21, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) promulgated an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for the prevention of the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2], the virus that causes COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] in health care employment settings. On November 5, 2021, OSHA promulgated an additional ETS that requires employers with 100 or more employees to require that all employees either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by January 4, 2022, or test negative for COVID-19 weekly in order to work onsite. On November 6, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ordered a stay on the OSHA COVID-19 vaccination and testing ETS pending additional judicial review and reaffirmed this stay on November 12, 2021. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) gives OSHA the ability to promulgate an ETS that would remain in effect for up to six months without going through the normal review and comment process of rulemaking. OSHA, however, has rarely used this authority in the past--not since the courts struck down its ETS on asbestos in 1983."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Szymendera, Scott
2021-12-10
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United States Department of the Interior COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan, Version 2.1 (December 10, 2021)
From the Background: "The DOI [Department of the Interior] Pandemic Plan [hyperlink] was updated in January 2021 based on lessons learned from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) experience and other biological incidents, such as SARS [Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome], MERS [Middle East Respiratory Syndrome], Zika, H1N1 [Hemagglutinin Type 1 and Neuraminidase Type 1], and Ebola. The revised DOI Pandemic Plan serves as a non-disease-specific response and recovery framework that is used as a foundational plan to formulate the DOI COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan and other DOI COVID-19 response and recovery plans. The overarching goals of the DOI COVID-19 Workplace Safety Plan are to: A. Halt the spread of COVID-19 by relying on the best available data and science-based public health measures; B. Prioritize the health and safety of the Federal workforce, contractors, and visitors; and C. Sustain the mission of the Department and mitigate impact to the environment, natural resources, economy, and the functioning of society."
United States. Department of the Interior
2021-12-10
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Lessons Learned Research: WASH Sector, COVID-19 Situational Analysis Project
From the Introduction: "This research has involved a range of actors within the humanitarian sector, starting with the iMMAP [Information Management & Mine Action Programs] analysts located in the six countries of study and the WASH [water, sanitation and hygiene] officers of INGOs, who were able to collect primary data directly from the field. The team leader and the staff also collected information for iMMAPs monthly Situation Analysis Reports, including all the sectors and many other observations within the different countries. The six countries that were targeted for this research are Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo [DRC], Nigeria, and Syria. This study aims to identify the best practices to collect information in crises such as the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. The best way to avoid the problems raised by the pandemic is to learn from mistakes and replicate their successes. Key informants provided valuable information on the lessons learned on data collection during COVID-19. These lessons range from the very first part of a project cycle (proposal and development phase) until the final evaluation of projects and the interaction and coordination mechanisms between different humanitarian WASH actors, sectors, and national and local authorities. It is also exciting to see how new technologies support data collection in all the countries and how the community-perceptions approach utilized by OXFAM in DRC, Burkina Faso, Syria, and Action Contre la Faim in Nigeria has proved to be successful."
United States. Agency for International Development; Information Management & Mine Action Programs; Data Friendly Space
Corbi, Jaime
2021-12-09?
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Lessons Learned Research: Food Security, COVID-19 Situational Analysis Project
From the Introduction: "In July 2020, iMMAP [Information Management & Mine Action Programs] launched the Global COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Situation Analysis Project funded by the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) of USAID and implemented in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Colombia, DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo], Nigeria, and Syria. The project aims to strengthen the information flow and analysis capacities by addressing challenges in data and information comprehensiveness, consistency, and value. This will enable humanitarian organizations to better understand the humanitarian impact of COVID-19 and support response operations. Based on an in-depth collation, review, and synthesis of secondary data via the DEEP [hyperlink] platform, this project produces monthly situation analysis reports that provide humanitarian stakeholders with comprehensive information on the spread of COVID-19 and related humanitarian consequences. After one year of implementation, the project is now seeking to document and report on lessons learned. Sector-based research was launched in July 2021 to explore data availability and quality; challenges, opportunities, and adaptations for each of the selected sectors for this research; and present lessons learned and recommendations. The sectors that will comprise this global research are Education, Food Security, Livelihoods, Protection, and WASH [water, sanitation and hygiene]. The focus of this piece of research is Food Security."
United States. Agency for International Development; Information Management & Mine Action Programs; Data Friendly Space
Khan, Fakhr-e-Alam
2021-12-09?
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Social Capital Dimensions Are Differentially Associated with COVID-19 Vaccinations, Masks, and Physical Distancing
From the Background: "Social capital has been associated with health outcomes in communities and can explain variations in different geographic localities. Social capital has also been associated with behaviors that promote better health and reduce the impacts of diseases. During the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, social distancing, face masking, and vaccination have all been essential in controlling contagion. These behaviors have not been uniformly adopted by communities in the United States. Using different facets of social capital to explain the differences in public behaviors among communities during pandemics is lacking."
PLoS ONE
Ferwana, Ibtihal; Varshney, Lav R.
2021-12-09
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Lessons Learned Research: Livelihood Sector, COVID-19 Situational Analysis Project
From the Introduction: "In July 2020, iMMAP [Information Management & Mine Action Programs] and DFS [Data Friendly Space] initiated the 'COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Situational Analysis project' funded by the BHA [Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance] of USAID [U.S. Agency for International Development]. The project provided a solution to the growing global need for information, assessment and analysis among humanitarian stakeholders. The project team was working towards strengthening the information flow available to the humanitarian actors to enable humanitarian organizations to better respond to the COVID-19 pandemic with focus on Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Colombia, DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo], Nigeria and Syria. During 2020, iMMAP teams have collected and aggregated and synthesized data from different sources to produce monthly situational analysis reports. The monthly reports were widely utilized and facilitated a better understanding of the humanitarian impact of COVID-19, and support partners in planning and targeting response operations amid the global crisis. [...] The aim of the research was to come up with recommendations based on best practices that could be implemented in various contexts, especially countries of focus. In addition, cross learning between countries would also help in improving the data availability and quality resulting in effective and efficient response to COVID-19 and policy formulation for similar pandemics in future. The research through review of secondary information and KIIs [key informant interviews] addressed the following research questions: [1] What has been the availability of data to the livelihoods Sector/ Cluster and how has this changed relative to pre-COVID-19? [2] What has been the quality of data available to the livelihoods Sector/ Cluster and how has this changed relative to pre-COVID-19? [3] What challenges have the Sector/ Cluster faced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic? [4] How has the livelihoods sector/cluster adapted to continue to provide services and support during COVID-19? What Lessons Learned are available to the livelihoods sector/Cluster[?] How will COVID-19 affect ways of working moving forward?"
United States. Agency for International Development; Information Management & Mine Action Programs; Data Friendly Space
Khan, Jehangir
2021-12-09?
