HIV, STI, Viral Hepatitis and Harm Reduction Digest
September 7, 2022
NACCHO News and Announcements
Funding Opportunity: Overdose Response Strategy RFA
With support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) is pleased to announce a funding opportunity to build the evidence base for promising and best practices in overdose prevention at the intersection of public health and public safety in Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) states. Through this funding opportunity, NACCHO and CDC will award up to twelve applicants in different stages of their response to the overdose epidemic in one of the following categories:
Categories of work:
- Planning Awards will be awarded up to $50,000 each.
- Implementation Awards will be awarded up to $80,000 each.
- Expansion Awards will be awarded up to $100,000 each. Eligibility is restricted to recipients that received the ORS Pilot Project, Implementation Award, in 2021-2022. Recipients of this award category will lose eligibility for continued funding on the same project following five consecutive years of receipt for their project but may receive funding after five years for a new project.
Application Submission: Please submit all applications and supporting materials using the online submission form.
For full details about the funding opportunity, please review the Request for Applications. Questions about the RFA and application process can be directed to Audrey Eisemann, Sr. Program Analyst at NACCHO ([email protected]).
HIV, STI, and Hepatitis Resources and News
CDC Published Preliminary 2021 STD Surveillance Data
“Last week, CDC published preliminary 2021 STD surveillance data. The new data suggest STDs continued to increase during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic with no signs of slowing. Nearly 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in the United States. CDC preliminary 2021 data showed:
- Over 2,600 cases of congenital syphilis, a startling increase of nearly 185% since 2017
- More than 171,000 cases of syphilis (all stages), an increase of 68% since 2017
- Almost 700,000 cases of gonorrhea, an increase of 25% since 2017
- More than 1.6 million cases of chlamydia, a 3.1% increase following a decrease in 2020 for the first time in seven years. The decrease in 2020 was likely due to reductions in chlamydia screening during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These data were provided through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System and sentinel surveillance systems between June 15 and July 7, 2022. STD surveillance data collected in 2021 will be provided to CDC through the Fall of 2022. Final data will be provided in the forthcoming 2021 STD Surveillance Report. Until then, slides, data points, social media, and more with the most recently available national-level data can be accessed from Preliminary 2021 STD Surveillance Data. The most recently available state-level data from CDC can be found in the Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2020.”
CDC Issue Brief: Status Neutral Approach to HIV-related Service Delivery
A status neutral approach to HIV-related service delivery aims to deliver high-quality, culturally affirming health care and services at every engagement for people with and without HIV. CDC’s new issue brief describes how status neutral HIV care and service delivery can help eliminate stigma, address health disparities, reduce the number of new HIV infections, and bring us closer to ending the HIV epidemic in the United States.
From the Field
Just Released: National HIV/AIDS Strategy Federal Implementation Plan
A newly released Federal Implementation Plan documents federal agencies’ commitments to programs, policies, research, and other activities needed to meet the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS), including funding priorities for health departments. Notably, the plan introduces five new indicators focusing on quality of life among people with HIV, which expands the plan’s focus beyond just clinical measures for people with HIV. The indicators address self-rated health, unmet need for mental health services, hunger/food insecurity, unemployment, and unstable housing or homelessness.
Read more about the NHAS Federal Implementation Plan and access data from the Medical Monitoring Project, recently updated to include quality of life indicators, at HIV.gov.
Monkeypox Resources and Updates
New Monkeypox Vaccine Locator Tool Developed
As of August 30th, a new monkeypox (MPX) vaccine locator tool was developed to make it easier to find a nearby healthcare location providing MPX vaccines. To date, there are over 500 sites listed and new sites will be updated in the coming weeks. To bring more awareness and attention to the tool, it is highly encouraged that it is shared with members of the community. A social media toolkit was developed and can be used to spread the word about the locator.
Frequently Asked Questions Page for K-12 Schools/Programs
Although the risk of MPX for children is low at this time, the virus can be transmitted to anyone who has had close contact with someone that has the virus. Given this information, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page for K-12 schools and childcare programs. The FAQ page serves as a reference point for administrators, staff, as well as parents as it answers frequently asked questions about MPX.
HHS Authorizes the HRSA to Receive Allotment of JYNNEOS Vaccine
Through the MPX Vaccine Distribution Initiative, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) authorized the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to receive an allotment of the JYNNEOS vaccine for MPX for rapid distribution to Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) recipients. To expedite the dispensing of the JYNNEOS vaccine, HRSA has decided to provide the vaccine to dually funded RWHAP Part C providers that care for men who have sex with men and transgender persons. The Health Partner Ordering Portal provides medical providers with the information needed to obtain vaccines for clients. A list of organizations that are scheduled to receive the JYNNEOS vaccine doses can be found here. For more information regarding the vaccine distribution, please contact: [email protected].
White House National Monkeypox Response Team Announces New Equity Intervention Pilot
Recently, the White House National Monkeypox Response team announced a new equity intervention pilot to ensure that more vaccines are equitably reaching communities where the outbreak has been most severe. This includes LGBTQI+ individuals, specifically gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. Additionally, the administration is focusing on communities of color, including Black and Latino gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men as this group has been disproportionately affected by the MPX outbreak. Additional vaccines and support will be provided to Louisiana, Georgia, and California in advance of events that will convene large groups of LGBTQI+ individuals in the coming months. For more information on the equity intervention pilot, please visit FACT SHEET: White House Monkeypox Response Team Announces New Plans to Support Large LGBTQI+ Events and Equity Interventions to Reach Communities at Highest Risk of Contracting the Virus | HIV.gov
Monkeypox Myths and Misconceptions
Monkeypox myths and misconceptions continue to impact public health efforts surrounding the outbreak. Similar to past infectious disease outbreaks, these myths and misconceptions can contribute to people underestimating their risk, avoiding precautions that help prevent transmission, and choosing to remain unvaccinated. Monkeypox misinformation has been centered around the virus’ transmission, similarities to COVID-19, and more. To learn more about this, visit 5 Monkeypox Myths We Need To Stop Believing | HuffPost Life.
Save the date! A MPX townhall will take place on Monday, October 10th at 6:30pm EST via livestream and in-person at the 2022 United States Conference on HIV/AIDS. Some of the nation’s leading organizations will host this event, including AIDS United, NASTAD, the National Coalition of STD Directors, NMAC, and The AIDS Institute. The town hall will focus on federal, state, and local leaders’ roles and responsibilities concerning MPX. To join the livestream, Log into Facebook on the day of the event.
News to Note
COVID, Monkeypox, Polio: Summer of Viruses Reflects Travel, Warming Trends
Upcoming Opportunities
2022 STD Prevention Conference
“We are pleased to invite you to attend the 2022 STD Prevention Conference to be held virtually from September 19-22.
The STD Prevention Conference occurs every two years, and the 2022 Conference will be organized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Coalition of STD Directors. We are working hard to put together a scientific program that is sure to enlighten, challenge, and inspire participants while addressing a range of topics around our conference theme, “Virtually Possible: New Horizons in Sexual Health.” Register here.
Fundamentals of Perinatal Harm Reduction Webinar Series
The Washington AIDS Partnership (WAP) presents the following three webinar series:
Wednesday, September 22nd, 6 PM: Harm reduction strategies for pregnant people who use drugs, with an emphasis on alcohol, tobacco/nicotine, and opioids.
Wednesday, September 29th, 6 PM: Trauma-informed care for pregnant people who use drugs.
Wednesday, October 6th, 6 PM: Expanding the role that health professionals can play in preventing the criminalization of pregnant people who use drugs.
Please register here.
NIAID/CDC Joint Workshop on Genital Herpes
Register now!
NIAID/CDC Joint Workshop on Genital Herpes, November 3-4, 2022
Co-sponsored by NIH/NIAID and CDC
The goals of the workshop will be to define the US and global burden and epidemiology of herpes simplex virus (HSV), and identify gaps and research opportunities in vaccines, therapeutics, prevention, and diagnostics development.
Who should attend?
This meeting will be of interest to academia, nongovernmental organizations, industry, other government agencies, and the public health community. This virtual event is open to the public – please feel free to distribute this invitation to any interested colleagues.
How do I register?
Registration and a draft agenda can be found at: https://cvent.me/kArr0O
Attendance will be virtual only and registration will be required to attend. A confirmation email will be sent at the time of registration and a link to the Zoom Webinar will be distributed closer to the event.
