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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 9, 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: "Use of Real-Time PCR for 'Chlamydia psittaci' Detection in Human Specimens During an Outbreak of Psittacosis - Georgia and Virginia, 2018"; "COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality Among American Indian/Alaska Native and White Persons - Montana, March 13-November 30, 2020"; "Use of Stay-at-Home Orders and Mask Mandates to Control COVID-19 Transmission - Blackfeet Tribal Reservation, Montana, June-December 2020"; "Provisional Mortality Data - United States, 2020"; "Death Certificate-Based ICD-10 Diagnosis Codes for COVID-19 Mortality
Surveillance - United States, January-December 2020"; "Community Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Associated with a Local Bar Opening Event - Illinois, February 2021"; "COVID-19 Stats: College and University COVID-19 Student Testing Protocols, by Mode of Instruction§ (N = 1,849) - United States, Spring 2021"; and "QuickStats: Age-Adjusted Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years Who Had an Influenza Vaccination in the Past 12 Months, by Sex and Race/Ethnicity§ -National Health Interview Survey, 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.)
McGovern, Olivia L.; Kobayashi, Miwako; Shaw, Kelly A. . . .
2021-04-09
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EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 21 Issue 14, April 8, 2021
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] National Emphasis Program focuses on protecting workers against COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], impacts EMS [Emergency Medical Services] agencies"; "Resources for security awareness and mitigation against vehicle ramming attacks on soft targets and crowded places"; "DHS S&T [Science and Technology] partnership and grant funding support regional planners in pre-coordination, licensing, and distribution of 700 and 800 MHz [Megahertz] safety band"; "Webinar: 911 - Sticking together in the critical hours"; "FBI-CISA [Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Agency] joint advisory on exploitation of Fortinet FortiOS vulnerabilities"; "CISA gives agencies 90 days to further harden networks against Microsoft email threat"; "Ransomware crooks are targeting vulnerable VPN [virtual private network] devices in their attacks"; and "Meet Janeleiro, a new banking Trojan striking company, government targets."
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
2021-04-08
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MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 7, 2021: Factors Associated with Participation in Elementary School-Based Sars-Cov-2 Testing--Salt Lake County, Utah, December 2020-January 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: "Factors Associated with Participation in Elementary School-Based Sars-Cov-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Testing--Salt Lake County, Utah, December 2020-January 2021." 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.)
2021-04-07
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MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 5, 2021: Community Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Associated with a Local Bar Opening Event -- Illinois, February 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: "Community Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Associated with a Local Bar Opening Event -- Illinois, February 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.)
2021-04-05
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, April 2, 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: "Use of Selected Recommended Clinical Preventive Services -- Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2018"; "Community-Associated Outbreak of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] in a Correctional Facility -- Utah, September 2020-January 2021"; "Willingness to Receive a COVID-19 Vaccination Among Incarcerated or Detained Persons in Correctional and Detention Facilities -- Four States, September-December 2020"; "Rapid Spread of SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] in a State Prison After Introduction by Newly Transferred Incarcerated Persons -- Wisconsin, August 14-October 22, 2020"; "Counties with High COVID-19 Incidence and Relatively Large Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations -- United States, April 1-December 22, 2020"; "Symptoms of Anxiety or Depressive Disorder and Use of Mental Health Care Among Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic -- United States, August 2020-February 2021"; "Interim Estimates of Vaccine Effectiveness of BNT162b2 [Pfizer-BioNTech] and mRNA-1273 [Moderna] COVID-19 Vaccines in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Health Care Personnel, First Responders, and Other Essential and Frontline Workers -- Eight U.S. Locations, December 2020-March 2021"; and "'QuickStats': Percentage of Adults with Fair or Poor Health, by Home Ownership Status and Age Group -- National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2019." 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.)
2021-04-02
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Commuter Rail: Information on Benefits and Funding Challenges for Service in Less Urbanized Communities
From the Document: "Commuter rail is a widely used public transit alternative to driving between suburban communities and city centers, and in many areas of the country transit agencies have extended their service areas further out from city centers to less urbanized communities. For people living in less urbanized communities who cannot drive due to age, disabilities, or income constraints, public transportation such as commuter rail may be critical to accessing essential services. Every year, commuter rail passengers across the country take hundreds of millions of trips not only to work, but also to school, medical appointments, recreational activities, and for many other purposes. Our review included 31 commuter rail systems operating in the United States. [...] The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has financially affected all modes of public transit. Beginning in March 2020, pandemic-related restrictions in some cities across the United States, among other factors, resulted in steep declines in commuter rail ridership and associated fare revenue. However, many transit agencies continued to provide commuter rail service at reduced frequencies. [...] In April 2020, we provided the relevant committees with information on the federal, state, and local funding sources that can be used to support the operation of commuter rail systems, as well as the federal funds expended by transit agencies in fiscal year 2018. This report finalizes and formally transmits the information we previously provided."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-04-01
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Year of COVID-19: The Pandemic's Impact on Global Conflict and Demonstration Trends
From the Introduction: "March 2021 marks the first anniversary of the declaration of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). One year on, this report explores ACLED's [Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project's] special coverage of the pandemic's impact on political violence and protest trends around the world - analyzing changes in demonstration activity, state repression, mob attacks, overall rates of armed conflict, and more through the 'COVID-19 Disorder Tracker' [hyperlink]. Earlier in the project we took stock of evolving political violence and protest patterns during the first 16 weeks of the crisis '(see this ACLED report)' [hyperlink], and again after more than five months had passed '(see this analysis for Foreign Policy)' [hyperlink]. This report draws on a full year of data and analysis from ACLED's 'COVID-19 Disorder Tracker' [hyperlink] to trace the pandemic's wider effects on global disorder trends."
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project
Kishi, Roudabeh
2021-04
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Depot Maintenance: DOD Should Improve Pandemic Plans and Publish Working Capital Fund Policy, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "Pandemics such as COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] can impact the productivity of critical DOD depots that maintain weapon systems if essential personnel are unable to report for work. Navy and Air Force WCFs [Working Capital Funds] must also maintain cash balances sufficient for the activities they support, including the eight depots operated by the Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force, to sustain readiness. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to assess the effects of COVID-19 on WCF and depot operations as part of its CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act oversight. This report (1) describes how COVID-19 impacted Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force depot productivity; (2) examines the extent to which depot actions in response to COVID-19 addressed key practices to support the workforce, continue operations, and improve crisis response; and (3) examines the extent to which WCF cash management policy ensured financial solvency and reflected current guidance. GAO reviewed DOD guidance, depot revenue data for fiscal year 2020, and documents related to the impact of COVID-19 on productivity and WCF solvency; and interviewed depot and financial management officials."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-04
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Tracking the Scale and Speed of the World Bank's COVID Response: April 2021 Update
From the Document: "Last year at this time, the World Bank announced its intention to provide $104 billion in financing to developing country governments to help them respond to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] crisis. We took stock of those efforts seven months ago in a Center for Global Development working paper [hyperlink] and accompanying blog post [hyperlink]. We noted that Bank lending had accelerated significantly in 2020 relative to 2019, but that actual disbursements were not on track to meet the Bank's own COVID lending goals, that the absolute magnitudes were dwarfed by the depth of the crisis facing low- and lower-middle income countries, and that the Bank bureaucracy was failing to pivot to more flexible, rapid financing instruments at its disposal. More than a year into the pandemic, it's time to check in again on the Bank's crisis financing. We revisit four basic questions about the Bank's lending performance since it originally announced its COVID response."
Center for Global Development
Morris, Scott; Sandefur, Justin; Yang, George
2021-04
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Vaccine Financing: How a Redesigned IMF Instrument Can Provide a Shot in the Arm for the Global Pandemic Response
From the Document: "'COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccine production lags far behind demand, especially from developing countries'. Low- and middle-income countries (not counting China and India)--some 3.6 billion people--will not have full access to vaccine until beyond 2022, leading to tragic loss of life, a delayed global economic recovery, and increased risk of new variants extending the worldwide pandemic. This outcome represents a major failure of international cooperation. It results from an inadequate advance ramp-up in global production, and inadequate initial financing. The IMF [International Monetary Fund] can play its part in addressing these two shortcomings by urgent redesign of its main rapid response instrument to be even more effective than it was in 2020. For the still urgent needs of this pandemic--and for the future--it could provide immediate financing to bolster initiatives, including along the lines of COVAX [COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access], that empower developing countries with greater collective clout to negotiate the required increase in production."
Center for Global Development
Hicklin, John, 1953-; Brown, Hannah
2021-04
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Vaccine Manufacturing in Africa: What it Takes and Why it Matters
From the Executive Summary: "Africa is home to 17 per cent of the world's population but, due to a lack of manufacturing capacity, can currently produce only 1 per cent of its vaccine needs. Only seven African countries have companies operating across the vaccine-manufacturing value chain, and of these, only one - Senegal - exports a WHO [World Health Organization] pre-qualified vaccine; most do not export at all. The uneven distribution of manufacturing and financing capabilities globally has led to an unequal distribution of global access to Covid-19 vaccines, with African countries largely reliant on external suppliers. This dependency is driving delays and uncertainty, which in turn affects governments' abilities to implement vaccine rollouts, protect their populations and ultimately rejoin the global economy. In this paper, we argue that the goal should be transitioning the continent from dependency towards greater self-sufficiency and security of supply. We also make key recommendations for policymakers on how to grow vaccine-manufacturing capacity across Africa."
Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
Abiodun, Toyin; Andersen, Hayley; Mamo, Liya Temeselew . . .
2021-04-01
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IDA-20: Donors Must Go Big, and IDA Must Too
From the Introduction: "The time is now for a historic International Development Association (IDA) replenishment. The world's poorest countries' recovery from the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] economic downturn will largely hinge on the scale of the emergency relief and investment programs over the next few years. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by the end of 2022, per capita income could be 18 percent below pre-crisis projections for low-income countries and 22 percent for emerging and developing countries. The World Bank estimates that the global pandemic could push between 55 and 63 million people in IDA countries into extreme poverty. IDA is the largest source of concessional loans and grant finance for the world's poorest countries. Its ability to sustain its high levels of crisis financing over the medium-term could profoundly affect the pace and strength of economic recovery for many low-income countries. Due to high pandemic related demand, IDA is frontloading its financial support, creating a significant shortfall for the last year of the three-year replenishment cycle. In this context, IDA donors and management have decided to accelerate the replenishment negotiations for IDA-20 by a year. This will allow IDA to commit the bulk of its current IDA-19 funding program over two years instead of three."
Center for Global Development
Landers, Clemence
2021-04
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MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 31, 2021: Death Certificate-based ICD-10 Diagnosis Codes for COVID-19 Mortality Surveillance -- United States, January-December 2020
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: "MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 31, 2021: Death Certificate-based ICD [International Classification of Diseases]-10 Diagnosis Codes for COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Mortality Surveillance -- United States, January-December 2020" 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.)
2021-03-31
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MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 31, 2021: Provisional Mortality Data -- United States, 2020
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: "Provisional Mortality Data -- United States, 2020." 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.)
2021-03-31
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WHO-convened Global Study of Origins of SARS-CoV-2: China Part
From the Summary: "In May 2020, the World Health Assembly in resolution WHA73.1 requested the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) to continue to work closely with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and countries, as part of the One Health approach, to identify the zoonotic source of the virus and the route of introduction to the human population, including the possible role of intermediate hosts. The aim is to prevent both reinfection with the virus in animals and humans and the establishment of new zoonotic reservoirs, thereby reducing further risks of the emergence and transmission of zoonotic diseases. In July 2020, WHO and China began the groundwork for studies to better understand the origins of the virus. Terms of Reference (TORs) were agreed that defined a phased approach, and the scope of studies, the main guiding principles and expected deliverables. The TORs envisaged an initial Phase 1 of shortterm studies to better understand how the virus might have been introduced and started to circulate in Wuhan, China."
World Health Organization
2021-03-30?
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Federal Eviction Moratoriums in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic [Updated March 30, 2021]
From the Document: "On September 4, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) imposed a nationwide temporary federal moratorium on residential evictions [hyperlink] for nonpayment of rent. The stated purpose of the order is preventing the further spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), specifically by preventing homelessness and overcrowded housing conditions resulting from eviction. The action, which followed an Executive Order [hyperlink] directing the CDC to consider such a measure, is unprecedented, both in terms of the federal reach into what is traditionally state and local governance of landlord-tenant law and its use of a public health authority [hyperlink] for this purpose. The national eviction moratorium took effect less than two weeks after the expiration of a different and narrower set of eviction protections established by the CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act (§4024) [hyperlink]. This Insight compares the two eviction moratoriums across several key features and ends with a review of implementation issues raised by the CDC moratorium."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
McCarty, Maggie; Perl, Libby
2021-03-30
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COVID-19 Response: Broadband Funding for Tribes, Tribal Colleges and Universities, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, and the Indian Health Service [Updated March 30, 2021]
From the Document: "Three recent enacted laws that, in whole or in part, address the effects of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic provided both direct and indirect broadband funding for American Indian tribes, tribal colleges and universities, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, and the Indian Health Service (collectively, 'tribal entities'). They are [1] the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, P.L. [public law] 116-136; [2] Division N of Title IX of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA, 2021), P.L. 116-260; and [3] the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), P.L. 117-2. This In Focus lists major broadband programs funded by these three laws as well as potential additional funding in subsequently proposed legislation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Figliola, Patricia Moloney; Rachfal, Colby Leigh; Casey, Alyssa R. . . .
2021-03-30
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MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 29, 2021: Interim Estimates of Vaccine Effectiveness of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 COVID-19 Vaccines in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Health Care Personnel, First Responders, and Other Essential and Frontline Workers -- Eight U.S. Locations, December 2020-March 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: "Interim Estimates of Vaccine Effectiveness of BNT162b2 and mRNA [messenger RiboNucleic Acid]-1273 COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Vaccines in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Infection Among Health Care Personnel, First Responders, and Other Essential and Frontline Workers -- Eight U.S. Locations, December 2020-March 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.)
2021-03-29
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 26, 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: "Tuberculosis -- United States, 2020"; "Declines in Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine-Type Infection Among Females after Introduction of Vaccine -- United States, 2003-2018"; "Rapid Scale-up of an Antiretroviral Therapy Program Before and During the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Pandemic -- Nine States, Nigeria, March 31, 2019-September 30, 2020"; "Epidemiology of Tuberculosis and Progress Toward Meeting Global Targets -- Worldwide, 2019"; "County-Level COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage and Social Vulnerability -- United States, December 14, 2020-March 1, 2021"; "COVID-19 in Primary and Secondary School Settings During the First Semester of School Reopening -- Florida, August-December 2020"; "Low SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Transmission in Elementary Schools -- Salt Lake County, Utah, December 3, 2020-January 31, 2021"; "Pilot Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 Secondary Transmission in Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Schools Implementing Mitigation Strategies -- St. Louis County and City of Springfield, Missouri, December 2020"; and "'QuickStats': Age-Adjusted Death Rates for Influenza and Pneumonia, by Urbanization Level and Sex -- National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2019." 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.)
2021-03-26
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MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 26, 2021: Symptoms of Anxiety or Depressive Disorder and Use of Mental Health Care Among Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic -- United States, August 2020-February 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: "Symptoms of Anxiety or Depressive Disorder and Use of Mental Health Care Among Adults During the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Pandemic -- United States, August 2020-February 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.)
2021-03-26
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Global COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution [March 26, 2021]
From the Background: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has led to severe health and economic consequences across the globe, as governments work to contain the spread of the virus and its variants. Officials have instituted a range of physical lockdowns and quarantine measures. In late 2020, researchers identified several new COVID-19 variants, which present challenges to pandemic control. For example, parts of Brazil, South Africa, and the United Kingdom are experiencing surges in COVID-19 cases believed to be caused in part by variants that have emerged in those countries. Vaccines and other countermeasures are playing a growing role in COVID-19 control. Researchers continue to study the safety and effectiveness of various COVID-19 vaccine candidates. Congress has appropriated approximately $15 billion through supplemental appropriations (P.L. 116-123, P.L. 116-136, P.L. 116-260, and P.L. 117-2) for a range of global COVID-19 responses. Congress authorized the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to use $4 billion of those funds in support of multilateral COVID19 vaccine efforts. Actions by the Biden Administration to deepen U.S. multilateral engagement, such as joining the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility (COVAX), may lead to additional U.S. government support for global COVID-19 control."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tharakan, Sara M.; Salaam-Blyther, Tiaji
2021-03-26
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Small Business Administration: Steps Needed to Address COVID-19 Loans' Susceptibility to Fraud, Statement of William B. Shear, Director, Financial Markets and Community Investment, Testimony Before the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "SBA [Small Business Administration] has made or guaranteed more than 17 million loans and grants through PPP [Paycheck Protection Program] and the EIDL [Economic Injury Disaster Loans] program, providing about $910 billion to help small businesses adversely affected by COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. PPP provides potentially forgivable loans to small businesses, and EIDL provides low-interest loans of up to $2 million for operating and other expenses as well as advances (grants). However, the speed with which SBA implemented the programs left them susceptible to fraud. Given these concerns, GAO [Government Accountability Office] added these emergency loan programs to its High-Risk List in March 2021. This testimony discusses fraud risks associated with PPP and the EIDL program. It is based largely on GAO's June 2020 - January 2021 reports on the federal response, including by SBA, to the economic downturn caused by COVID-19 (GAO-20-625 [hyperlink], GAO-20-701 [hyperlink], GAO-21-191 [hyperlink], GAO-21- 265 [hyperlink]). For those reports, GAO reviewed SBA documentation and OIG [Office of the Inspector General] reports; analyzed SBA data; and interviewed officials from SBA and the Department of the Treasury."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Shear, William B.
2021-03-25
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Lifting the COVID-19 Restrictions in Texas
From the Introduction: "In order to study Winter Storm Uri's impact on Texas, the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston conducted an online survey of residents 18 and older who live in the 213 counties (91.5% of the state population) served by the Texas Electrical Grid, which is managed by the Electrical Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). The survey documents Texans' experiences during the storm and explores preferences among potential changes in policies regarding electricity. The survey also examines opinions about the lifting of statewide COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] restrictions. The survey was fielded by YouGov between March 9-19, 2021 with 1,500 YouGov respondents, resulting in a confidence interval of +/-2.5. The respondents were matched to a sampling frame on gender, age, ethnicity/race, and education and are representative of the adult population in these 213 counties. The results of this survey will be presented in two individual reports: The Lifting the COVID-19 Restrictions and the Winter Storm of 2021 [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=851759]."
Hobby School of Public Affairs
Watson, Kirk P.; Cross, Renée; Jones, Mark P.
2021-03-25?
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EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 21 Issue 12, March 25, 2021
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "CISA [Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] releases Insight on COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccine hesitancy within the critical infrastructure workforce"; "FDA warns the public not to use Ivermectin to treat COVID-19, in response to reports of multiple poisonings"; "NIC [National Integration Center] publishes final updates to 18 public works resource type positions and teams"; "Virtual training on Mass Fatalities Planning and Response from the Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium"; "FBI releases the Internet Crime Complaint Center 2020 Internet Crime Report, including COVID-19 scam statistics"; "Five months after takedown attempt, CISA and FBI warn of ongoing TrickBot attacks"; "Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks"; and "How one company was hit by ransomware, but refused to pay up."
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
2021-03-25
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Financial Audit: FY 2020 and FY 2019 Consolidated Financial Statements of the U.S. Government
From the Document: "This report transmits the results of GAO's [U.S. Government Accountability Office's] audit of the U.S. government's fiscal years 2020 and 2019 consolidated financial statements. GAO's audit report is incorporated on page 226 in the enclosed 'Fiscal Year 2020 Financial Report of the United States Government (2020 Financial Report)' prepared by the Secretary of the Treasury in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). To operate as effectively and efficiently as possible, Congress, the administration, and federal managers must have ready access to reliable and complete financial and performance information--both for individual federal entities and for the federal government as a whole. Our report on the U.S. government's consolidated financial statements for fiscal years 2020 and 2019 discusses progress that has been made but also underscores that much work remains to improve federal financial management and that the federal government continues to face an unsustainable long-term fiscal path. The federal government took unprecedented actions in response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to protect public health and reduce economic impacts on individuals and businesses in fiscal year 2020. These efforts are reflected in the assets, liabilities, net cost, and the budget deficit reported in the U.S. government's consolidated financial statements for fiscal year 2020."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-03-25
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COVID-19 and Direct Payments: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Third Round of 'Stimulus Checks' in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; P.L.117-2) [Updated March 25, 2021]
From the Document: "Congress included a third round of direct payments in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; P.L. 117-2) to address the continued economic fallout from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The first round [hyperlink] was included in the CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act [hyperlink] (P.L. 116-136). The second round [hyperlink] was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 [hyperlink] (P.L. 116-260). This Insight provides a brief overview of the third round of payments--often referred to as 'stimulus checks' [hyperlink]. (A similar proposal for a third round of payments passed the House on February 27, 2021. That version had different phaseouts [hyperlink] from the third round ultimately included in P.L. 117-2 and discussed in this Insight.)"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Crandall-Hollick, Margot L.
2021-03-25
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COVID-19 and Direct Payments: Comparison of First and Second Round of 'Stimulus Checks' to the Third Round in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; P.L. 117-2) [Updated March 25, 2021]
From the Document: "The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; P.L. 117-2) includes a third round of direct payments (often referred to as 'stimulus checks'). A first round of direct payments was included in the CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act [hyperlink] (P.L. 116-136) in March 2020. A second round [hyperlink] of direct payments was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 [hyperlink] (P.L. 116-260) in December 2020. This Insight compares some of the major aspects of the third round of direct payments to the first and second rounds."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Crandall-Hollick, Margot L.
2021-03-25
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MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 24, 2021: Counties with High COVID-19 Incidence and Relatively Large Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations -- United States, April 1-December 22, 2020
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: "Counties with High COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Incidence and Relatively Large Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations -- United States, April 1-December 22, 2020." 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.)
2021-03-24
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Disinformation Dozen: Why Platforms Must Act on Twelve Leading Online Anti-Vaxxers
From the Introduction: "We are in the middle of the deadliest US public health crisis in more than a century. Covid-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] has killed more than 500,000 Americans and undermined the livelihood of millions of American workers and families. [...] With widespread distribution of coronavirus vaccines, we have an opportunity to turn a corner on the pandemic. Our recovery depends on the public's willingness to receive a vaccine. However, researchers are increasingly connecting misinformation disseminated via social media to increased vaccine hesitancy, which will ultimately cause unnecessary deaths. Living in full view of the public on the internet are a small group of individuals who do not have relevant medical expertise and have their own pockets to line, who are abusing social media platforms to misrepresent the threat of Covid and spread misinformation about the safety of vaccines. According to our recent report, anti-vaccine activists on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter reach more than 59 million followers, making these the largest and most important social media platforms for anti-vaxxers. Our research has also found anti-vaxxers using social media platforms to target Black Americans, exploiting higher rates of vaccine hesitancy in that community to spread conspiracies and lies about the safety of Covid vaccines."
Center for Countering Digital Hate
2021-03-24
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Small Business Administration: Actions Needed to Improve COVID-19 Loans' Internal Controls and Reduce Their Susceptibility to Fraud, Statement of William B. Shear, Director, Financial Markets and Community Investment, Testimony Before the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Senate
From the Highlights: "SBA [Small Business Administration] has made or guaranteed more than 17 million loans and grants through PPP [Paycheck Protection Program] and the EIDL [Economic Injury Disaster Loans] program, providing about $910 billion to help small businesses adversely affected by COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. PPP provides potentially forgivable loans to small businesses, and EIDL provides low-interest loans of up to $2 million for operating and other expenses as well as advances (grants). However, the speed with which SBA implemented the programs left them susceptible to fraud. Given these concerns, GAO [Government Accountability Office] added these emergency loan programs to its High-Risk List in March 2021. This testimony discusses fraud risks associated with PPP and the EIDL program. It is based largely on GAO's June 2020 - January 2021 reports on the federal response, including by SBA, to the economic downturn caused by COVID-19 (GAO-20-625 [hyperlink], GAO-20-701 [hyperlink], GAO-21-191 [hyperlink], GAO-21- 265 [hyperlink]). For those reports, GAO reviewed SBA documentation and OIG [Office of the Inspector General] reports; analyzed SBA data; and interviewed officials from SBA and the Department of the Treasury."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Shear, William B.
2021-03-24
