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• Memorandum from Majority Staff to Members, Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis Regarding Coronavirus Infections and Deaths Among Meatpacking Workers at Top Five Companies Were Nearly Three Times Higher Than Previous Estimates, October 27, 2021

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  From the Executive Summary: "As the coronavirus spread rapidly through the United States in the spring of 2020, meatpacking facilities became hotspots for outbreaks that sickened and killed meatpacking workers and likely caused significant spread in surrounding communities. Following multiple reports of widescale coronavirus outbreaks within and around meatpacking facilities, the Select Subcommittee initiated an investigation into coronavirus infections and deaths in meatpacking plants, and failures by meatpacking companies and the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to safeguard workers against workplace coronavirus outbreaks in the first year of the pandemic. This investigation has revealed that the impact of the coronavirus on meatpacking workers' health and safety was significantly worse than previously estimated. 'Newly obtained documents from five of the largest meatpacking conglomerates, which represent over 80 percent of the market for beef and over 60 percent of the market for pork in the United States--JBS USA Food Company (JBS), Tyson Foods, Inc. (Tyson), Smithfield Foods (Smithfield), Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation (Cargill), and National Beef Packing Company, LLC (National Beef)--reveal that coronavirus infections and deaths among their meatpacking workers were substantially higher than previously estimated.'"

  United States. Congress. House. Committee on Oversight and Reform. Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis

  2021-10-27
• Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee Meeting: EUA Amendment Request for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Use in Children 5 Through 11 Years of Age

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  From the Executive Summary: "On October 6, 2021, Pfizer submitted a request to FDA to amend its Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to expand use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Vaccine (BNT162b2) for prevention of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] in individuals 5 through 11 years of age (hereafter 5-11 years of age). The proposed dosing regimen is a 2-dose primary series, 10 µg mRNA/per dose, administered 3 weeks apart. This EUA request initially included safety data from 1,518 BNT162b2 recipients and 750 placebo (saline) recipients 5-11 years of age who are enrolled in the Phase 2/3 portion (Cohort 1) of an ongoing randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, C4591007. [...] This October 26, 2021 VRPBAC [sic] [Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee] meeting is being held to discuss whether, based on the totality of scientific evidence available, the benefits of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine when administered as a 2-dose series (10 µg each dose, 3 weeks apart) outweigh its risks for use in children 5-11 years of age."

  United States. Food and Drug Administration

  2021-10-26
• MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 22, 2021: Severity of Disease Among Adults Hospitalized with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 Before and During the Period of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) Predominance -- COVID-NET, 14 States, January-August 2021

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  The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This early release issue of MMWR contains the following article: "Severity of Disease Among Adults Hospitalized with Laboratory-Confirmed COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Before and During the Period of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 delta variant] Predominance -- COVID-NET, 14 States, January-August 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.)

  2021-10-22
• MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 22, 2021: COVID-19 Vaccination and Non-COVID-19 Mortality Risk -- Seven Integrated Health Care Organizations, United States, December 14, 2020-July 31, 2021

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  The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This early release issue of MMWR contains the following article: " COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Vaccination and Non-COVID-19 Mortality Risk -- Seven Integrated Health Care Organizations, United States, December 14, 2020-July 31, 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.)

  2021-10-22
• Operation Secondary Infektion Targets Pfizer Vaccine

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  From the Executive Summary: "Recorded Future's Insikt Group has identified what we assess is almost certainly a fake screenshot of an academic-led 'Open Appeal' letter opposing the vaccination of teenagers against COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], particularly using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, circulating on European blog websites and self-publishers. The letter is purportedly from physicians associated with the University of Latvia. This fake letter is very likely an attempt to generate vaccine hesitancy and distrust of Western institutions among European audiences. The campaign's tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) suggest that it is most likely associated with the likely Russian state-sponsored information operation Secondary Infektion. Insikt Group found this false narrative actively circulating among popular Eastern European blog sites and self-publishers, contributing to the misinformation and disinformation, conspiracy theories, and general distrust in government and medical institutions that is widespread among groups of people who remain opposed to getting vaccinated even as the the COVID-19 Delta variant circulates globally."

  Recorded Future, Inc.

  Insikt Group

  2021-10-20
• Increasing Transparency into COVID-19 Spending

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  From the Background: "In March 2020 the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act created the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) to promote transparency and conduct and support oversight of pandemic-related funds and the response to the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). The objective of this review was to identify specific gaps in transparency in award data for federal assistance spending in response to COVID-19. We conducted the review in accordance with the Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation issued by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE)."

  Pandemic Response Accountability Committee

  2021-10-20
• Enough to Eat: The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Insecurity and the Food Environment in L. A. County April 2020 -September 2021

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  From the Introduction: "The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 posed unique and significant challenges for urban areas. The high concentrations of economic activity and population density made these regions hotspots for infections. With nearly 10 million residents accounting for 27% of California's population, Los Angeles County was no exception. [...] 'Food insecurity' refers to disruptions in food access and regular eating because of limited money or other resources. Although food insecurity often results in hunger, it is also linked to a host of negative physical and mental health outcomes for children and adults, including poor nutrition, problems with mental health, cognition, and sleep, and greater risk for diet-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. [...] '[T]his final report summarizes the current state of food insecurity in L.A. County'. We find that rates of food insecurity have declined since the onset of the pandemic, but 1 in 10 households remained food insecure in the first half of 2021. This report also 'describes access to food outlets and food assistance during the pandemic, and variability and vulnerability in food access', using innovative data and analytics to understand the complexity of the L.A. County food environment. We conclude with recommendations based on this analysis and our 16 months of research."

  University of Southern California. Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences; Keck School of Medicine; Los Angeles County (Calif.) . . .

  de la Haye, Kayla; Wilson, John P. (John Peter), 1955-; Bruine de Bruin, Wändi . . .

  2021-10-20?
• MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 19, 2021: Effectiveness of Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA Vaccination Against COVID-19 Hospitalization Among Persons Aged 12-18 Years -- United States, June-September 2021

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  The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This Early Release issue of MMWR contains the following article: "Effectiveness of Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA Vaccination Against COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Hospitalization Among Persons Aged 12-18 Years -- United States, June-September 2021." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from WWMR can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2021.html].

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

  2021-10-19
• ERO COVID-19 Pandemic Response Requirements

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  From the Purpose and Scope: "The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic Response Requirements (PRR) sets forth expectations and assists ICE detention facility operators in sustaining detention operations while mitigating risk to the safety and wellbeing of detainees, staff, contractors, visitors, and stakeholders due to COVID-19. The ERO PRR builds upon previously issued guidance and sets forth specific mandatory requirements to be adopted by 'all' detention facilities, as well as recommended best practices, to ensure that detainees are appropriately housed and that available mitigation measures are implemented during this unprecedented public health crisis."

  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

  2021-10-19
• 'Climate Lockdown' and the Culture Wars: How COVID-19 Sparked a New Narrative Against Climate Action

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  From the Executive Summary: "In September 2020, ISD [Institute for Strategic Dialogue] analysts identified an emerging trend on social media relating to the term 'climate lockdown'. This spike in volume seemed to be driven primarily by climate sceptics, who claimed that the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic was merely a precursor to future 'green tyranny', and that both governments and global elites would curtail civil liberties under the pretext of climate change. Over the following eight months, analysts conducted a detailed study of the emergence and mainstreaming of this phrase across Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. [...] This report details the chronological growth and evolution of 'climate lockdown', divided into two sections. The first outlines how the narrative emerged and was repurposed by malign actors, making its way onto different social media platforms. The second illustrates how liberal media missteps in early 2021 reignited the narrative, causing it to merge with other, pre-existing conspiracies and ultimately become centred in wider anti-elite discourse. The report concludes with potential lessons for climate change communications, not least in the run-up to major events like COP26 [2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference], national elections and regional votes on legislation."

  Institute for Strategic Dialogue; CASM Technology

  Maharasingam-Shah, Eisha; Vaux, Pierre

  2021-10-18?
• Commentary: What Can Masks Do? Part 2: What Makes for a Good Mask Study -- and Why Most Fail

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  From the Document: "As noted in part 1 [hyperlink], not all facepieces designed to protect against respiratory diseases like COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] are created equal, and they must be considered as only one tier in a hierarchy of protective steps. Here in part 2 we spell out why not all studies involving cloth face coverings or surgical/medical masks warrant equal consideration. We'll detail the necessary elements of a rigorous study and explore some recent studies that, though highly touted by both scientists and the lay press, fell quite a bit short of the ideal. Again, at the outset, we underscore that we are not 'anti-mask.' Rather, we are in favor of wearing the most protective type of facepiece for the setting--such as a non-fit tested respirator when spending more than a few minutes in a crowded, indoor space--and only in combination with other interventions."

  Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy

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

  2021-10-15
• COVID-19 State of Vaccine Confidence Insights Report 16 (September 14 - 27, 2021)

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  From the Summary: "President Biden's September 9, 2021 call for COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] vaccine requirements continued to drive social media conversations, news articles, and responses from politicians opposed to the requirements. In summary, there continues to be vocal opposition among a segment of social media users to the announcement and general workplace vaccine requirements. The US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) voted on September 17, 2021, to approve the administration of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses. On September 24, CDC's [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's] Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) also approved the administration of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses. On September 20, 2021, Pfizer and BioNTech announced they submitted data to the FDA on COVID-19 vaccine trial data in children ages 5 to 11 years. This announcement was accompanied by increased consumer interest in vaccinating children including when they will be available and safety and efficacy data. Finally, consumers continued to exhibit interest in safety and efficacy data on booster doses and where they could find them."

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

  2021-10-15
• Latin America and the Caribbean: Impact of COVID-19 [Updated October 15, 2021]

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  From the Document: "The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is having widespread economic, social, and political effects on Latin America and the Caribbean. As of October 14, 2021, the region had 45.4 million confirmed cases (almost 19% of cases worldwide) and more than 1.5 million deaths (almost 31% of deaths worldwide). Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and Argentina had the region's highest numbers of deaths. Looking at mortality (death) rates per 100,000 population, Peru had the highest recorded COVID-19 mortality rate in the region, followed by Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Paraguay[.] In its weekly press briefing on the pandemic on October 13, 2021, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported that COVID-19 infections were declining in Central America, although cases remained high in Belize. In South America, PAHO reported that new infections were dropping across the continent but noted some spikes within countries, including the greater Caracas area of Venezuela and Chile's southernmost regions. In the Caribbean, PAHO reported that Barbados was experiencing the highest number of cases since the pandemic began, as well as increased cases in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and some smaller islands, including Antigua and Barbuda. [...] The rollout of vaccines has varied considerably, and there is concern that widespread vaccine access in some countries could be delayed until late 2022 or 2023, making populations vulnerable to new waves and more transmittable variants of the virus."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Meyer, Peter J.; Sullivan, Mark P.

  2021-10-15
• Social Security Financial Status: How the 2021 Annual Report Addressed the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic [October 15, 2021]

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  From the Document: "Social Security is a self-financing program that in 2021 covers approximately 176 million workers and provides monthly cash benefits to over 65 million beneficiaries. It is the federal government's largest program in terms of both the number of people affected (i.e., covered workers and beneficiaries) and its finances. Social Security is composed of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) and Disability Insurance (DI), referred to collectively as OASDI. The financial status of Social Security helps to determine the program's ability to pay fully scheduled benefits on time--that is, the ability to provide monthly payments to current and future beneficiaries. At a basic level, the financial status of Social Security is simply the relationship among revenues, cost, and the holdings in trust funds. [...] News articles during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and the ensuing recession highlighted potential ways that Social Security and its beneficiaries could be adversely affected."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Huston, Barry F.

  2021-10-15
• Commentary: What Can Masks Do? Part 1: The Science Behind COVID-19 Protection

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

  Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy

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

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

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

  National Emergency Medical Services Information System

  Mann, N. Clay

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

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

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Beittel, June S.; Rosen, Liana W.

  2021-10-14
• Criminal Governance in Cities During COVID-19: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Economic Challenges Accompanying it on Criminal Governance in Cities.

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  From the Webpage: "This project examines the impact of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic and the economic challenges accompanying it on criminal governance in cities. It analyzes how gangs and other non-state armed groups operating in illicit economies have altered their activities in light of the new circumstances in areas of criminal governance, and how governments and civil society have responded. On this page, you will have access to a brief for each case study, and the final report, based on the following schedule: [1] Thursday 14 October: Tumaco and Rio de Janeiro; [2] Thursday 4 November: Cape Town and Nairobi; [3] Thursday 11 November: San Salvador; and [4] Thursday 25 November: Synthesising report. On Tuesday 30 November, we will be hosting a virtual event to discuss key findings and share recommendations. Please make sure you are subscribed to our general mailing list to get regular updates about the publications and the event."

  Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

  Sampaio, Antônio; Johnson, Kyle

  2021-10-14
• CBO Presentation: CBO's Budget and Economic Analysis During the Pandemic

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

  United States. Congressional Budget Office

  Swagel, Phillip

  2021-10-13
• False Allegations of Biological-Weapons Use from Putin's Russia

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

  Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group

  Leitenberg, Milton

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

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

  Brookings Institution

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

  2021-10-11
• MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 8, 2021

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

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

  2021-10-08
• Military's COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate [Updated October 8, 2021]

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  From the Document: "Since the onset of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Members of Congress have expressed interest in Force Health Protection [hyperlink] (FHP) measures the Department of Defense (DOD) might implement to protect servicemembers and mitigate pandemic-related threats to military operations. DOD has implemented a variety of conditions-based FHP [hyperlink]measures that mirror the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommended protective measures [hyperlink], to limit the spread of COVID-19 among military personnel. On August 9, 2021, the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) issued a Message to the Force [hyperlink] indicating his intent to require COVID-19 vaccination for servicemembers 'no later than mid-September, or immediately upon the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensure [of a COVID-19 vaccine], whichever comes first.' [...] This Insight summarizes the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for servicemembers and offers considerations for Congress as the MILDEPs [Secretaries of the Military Departments] implement the mandate. For an overview of DOD's vaccination policy and program, see CRS [Congressional Research Service] InFocus 11816 [hyperlink]."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Mendez, Bryce H. P.

  2021-10-08
• White House Report: Vaccination Requirements Are Helping Vaccinate More People, Protect Americans from COVID-19, and Strengthen the Economy

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

  United States. White House Office

  2021-10-07
• COVID-19-Related Loan Assistance for Agricultural Enterprises [Updated October 7, 2021]

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

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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

  2021-10-07
• COVID-19: Potential Implications for International Security Environment-- Overview of Issues and Further Reading for Congress [Updated October 5, 2021]

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

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  O'Rourke, Ronald; McInnis, Kathleen J.

  2021-10-05
• Associations Between County-Level Vaccination Rates and COVID-19 Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries

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

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

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

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

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

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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

  2021-10-04
• MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 1, 2021: Multicomponent Strategies to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Transmission -- Nine Overnight Youth Summer Camps, United States, June-August 2021

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  The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This Early Release issue of MMWR contains the following article: "Multicomponent Strategies to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2] Transmission -- Nine Overnight Youth Summer Camps, United States, June-August 2021." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from WWMR can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2021.html].

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

  2021-10-01
• MMWR Early Release: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 1, 2021: COVID-19 Outbreaks at Youth Summer Camps -- Louisiana, June-July 2021

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  The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This Early Release issue of MMWR contains the following article: "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] Outbreaks at Youth Summer Camps -- Louisiana, June-July 2021." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from WWMR can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2021.html].

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

  2021-10-01