As part of the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO’s) work to support and serve 3,000 local health departments (LHDs) in the United States, NACCHO will be releasing a bi-weekly blog consisting of an up-to-date collection of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) resources for our members working at the intersection of environmental health and COVID-19. See the recent blog from 9/30/2020 here.
See any EH and COVID-19 categories missing on this bi-weekly blog? Let us know by emailing [email protected]. Continue to check back with NACCHO’s Essential Elements for COVID-19 and LHD resources.
Curated Collection of Resources as of 10/14/2020
NACCHO Resources and Events Related to COVID-19
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Supports Launch of Environmental Health COVID-19 Early Care and Education Collaborative to Support Children’s Health: ATSDR has awarded support for a collaborative of public health partners to work in coordination to advance environmental health capacity to implement COVID-19 guidance and safe practices in early care and education (ECE) facilities. The partner organizations include the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN), Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), NACCHO, and National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH).
- Webinar: Community Health Workers - Strengthening the COVID-19 Public Health Response: NACCHO, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, hosts the Cardiovascular Health Community of Practice. Representatives from the CDC will discuss the roles and skills of Community Health Workers with special emphasis on the response to COVID-19 in priority populations. Register here to attend the webinar on Wednesday, October 21 at 1 PM ET.
- Podcast from Washington: Non-COVID Clinical Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In a recent episode of Podcast from Washington, NACCHO government affairs team members Ian Goldstein sits down with Rear Admiral Betsy L. Thompson, MD, MSPH, DrPH, Assistant Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service and Director of the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention at the CDC, to discuss the Framework for Healthcare Systems Providing Non-COVID-19 Clinical Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic. They discuss the development of a comprehensive framework to balance the necessary provision of non-COVID-19 medical services while minimizing risk to patients and healthcare personnel during the pandemic. Rear Admiral Thompson also highlights key considerations local health departments and healthcare systems should consider when managing cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. - Call for Abstracts: 2021 Preparedness Summit: The COVID-19 pandemic has tested our public health preparedness and response mechanisms in extraordinary ways. Submit an abstract for the 2021 Preparedness Summit, When Crisis is Commonplace: Transforming Your Community’s Public Health Preparedness Practices, and contribute strategies, best practices, and tools that will enable us to meet the many challenges we as public health professionals continue to face every day: http://rlm.ag/1sZuRJ. Abstracts are due October 31.
New Releases/Updated Guidance from CDC and Other Partners
- Guidance for Holiday Celebrations: As many people in the United States begin to plan for fall and winter holiday celebrations, CDC offers the following considerations* to help protect individuals, their families, friends, and communities from COVID-19.
- New information has been published to:
- CDC updated information for:
- Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, and Caring for Newborns
- When to Quarantine
- Their Social Media Toolkit with daily life and going out guidance to include: wildfire/COVID, heat, and hurricane recovery.
- Contact Tracing and Case Investigation Training Modules
- Contact Tracing for COVID-19
- Press Release: EPA Actions Support Water Utility Resiliency, Advanced Wastewater Monitoring in Response to COVID-19: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is highlighting two actions that support the water sector, public health and the environment in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Upcoming Events of Interest from CDC and Other Partners
- COVID-19 Partner Update: Campus Guidebook – Slowing the Spread at U.S. Colleges and Universities.
- October 19 | 3:00— 4:00 PM ET
- CDC Speakers
- Dr. Cliff McDonald, Acting Chief Medical Officer for the CDC COVID-19 Emergency Response
- Dr. Greta Massetti, Lead, JCC Mitigations and Risk Working Group and Lead, CDC Community Interventions and Critical Populations Task Force
- Dr. Lisa C. Barrios, Lead, School Fieldwork Unit, State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support Task Force
- LCDR Samantha Morgan, Deputy for Partnerships and Risk Management, CDC COVID-19 Emergency Response (Moderator)
- Dr. McDonald will share updates on CDC’s COVID-19 response, including the latest scientific information and what everyone should know about protecting themselves and others. In addition, Dr. Massetti and Dr. Barrios will review CDC COVID-19 guidance for Institutions of Higher Education in the presentation Campus Guidebook – Slowing the Spread at US Colleges and Universities.
- The call will be recorded and posted with previous Partner Update webinars here.
- Attend the fifth webinar in APHA’s Advancing Racial Equity series
on October 14, 12:30-2:00 PM ET. Housing is a Human Right webinar will:
- Describe the racist structures and policies that established housing inequality.
- Discuss the health impacts of racism in housing on BIPOC communities.
- Highlight pre- and post-COVID legislation related to housing.
- Provide an advocate’s perspective of ways to advance equity through housing at the city and state level.
- Meeting Current School Health Challenges and Beyond: New Tools to Assess and Address IAQ Health and Safety: Join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a webinar highlighting risk reduction strategies and resources for a safer return to school that are applicable both before reopening and throughout the academic year. This webinar will focus on how to use indoor air quality (IAQ) management best practices and strategies to reduce exposure to viruses in schools and apply findings from a study to help decision makers select changes to HVAC operation that can reduce aerosol exposure.
- October 22, 2020| 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ET
CDC Updated COVID-19 Resources or Considerations for:
- Natural Disasters, Climate and Health, Wildfires and Personnel: CDC updated the FAQs for Wildland Firefighters
- Community-Based Organizations:
- Food Pantries and Food Distribution Sites
- Outdoor Farmers Markets (many accept WIC and SNAP benefits)
- Outdoor Learning Gardens and Community Gardens
- Consumers, food service workers, and managers
* CDC considerations are meant to supplement—not replace—any state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations with which holiday gatherings must comply.
