This week, the U.S. Congress passed a $1.5 trillion omnibus appropriations bill to fund the federal government through Federal Fiscal Year 2022, which ends in September. The final bill includes funding increases to public health agencies and programs under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including a $582 million increase for the…
Read More »Following its recent update to the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, the Biden-Harris Administration announced additional details on its nationwide Test-to-Treat Initiative. Through the program, individuals who test positive for COVID-19 will be able to visit local pharmacy-based clinics and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), and long-term care facility residents in one stop, be assessed by…
Read More »On Thursday, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), at the recommendation of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), extended its security directive requiring the use of a mask on public transportation and transportation hubs for one month, through April 18, 2022. According to the CDC, during that time, the agency will work with…
Read More »U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has announced a request for information (RFI) on the impact and prevalence of health misinformation in the digital information environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Surgeon General Murthy seeks to understand the impact of COVID-19 misinformation on public health and the health care infrastructure during the pandemic, including quality of care,…
Read More »The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) will host a webinar on Thursday, March 17 entitled “Transitioning Out of the COVID-19 Emergency Phase.” The BPC will host CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky to discuss her COVID-19 forecast for 2022. Other leading public health experts will participate in a discussion of the implications of the eventual end of…
Read More »The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this week announced a series of funding opportunities totaling nearly $35 million to strengthen and expand suicide prevention programs and strengthen community mental health services for the country’s children and young adults. Funding for the programs, in part, was provided through the American Rescue Plan Act…
Read More »The White House, under the direction of the Biden-Harris Administration, this week issued an updated response and recovery strategy for the COVID-19 pandemic. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. announced the strategy during his State of the Union Address to U.S. Congress on Tuesday evening, highlighting a series of actions to continue the nation’s response to…
Read More »This week, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to continue its emergency and disaster assistance available to state and local governments due to the COVID-19 pandemic through June 30, 2022. Under the directive, FEMA will continue its 100 percent federal cost share for all work eligible for assistance, including…
Read More »The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Tips From Former Smokers, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, this week unveiled a series of new advertisements encouraging people who smoke to quit. The campaign has had significant and sustained impact over the past decade, helping more than one million U.S. adults quit smoking. The Tips…
Read More »On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized guidance to help companies prepare to remove violative products quickly and effectively from the market. The guidance describes steps companies should take before a recall is necessary to develop recall policies and procedures that include training, planning, and record-keeping to reduce the time a recalled…
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