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 is 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. Read the last blog from 11/10/2020.

Curated Resources as of 11/25/2020

NACCHO’s COVID-19 Updates and Events

• A new guest blog from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development highlights the expansive body of research that EPA is conducting to reduce the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The research advancements cited in the blog can help state, tribal, local, and territorial governments make public health decisions, and guide homeowners, business owners, and others to reduce their risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Included are research developments made in wastewater monitoring, disinfection evaluation, SARS-CoV-2 aerosol studies, and more.

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• COVID-19 Partner Update November 30, 2020: Resilience and Mental Health for the Holidays: Join the weekly partner call on November 30 from 3 PM to 4 PM ET for updates on the COVID-19 response, including new resources for the private sector and the general public.
  • CDC Speakers
    • Dr. Cliff McDonald, Acting Chief Medical Officer for the CDC COVID-19 Emergency Response
    • Dr. Kathleen Ethier, Director, Division of Adolescent and School Health
    • Ms. Michelle Putnam, Deputy for Partnerships and Risk Management, CDC COVID-19 Emergency Response (Moderator)
  • Submit your questions by November 25 so that we can group similar questions and answer as many as possible. Please email eocevent337@cdc.gov with “Partner Call 11/30” in the subject line.  
  • The call will be recorded and posted with previous Partner Update webinars here.
  • Upcoming Webinars
    • 12/07/2020: New School Tools for a Healthy New Year
    • 12/14/2020: Ten Truths about COVID-19
• CDC is conducting a survey to learn more about:
  • Needs and concerns of building owners and managers and other stakeholders as they reopen buildings and building water systems,
  • Stakeholder perceptions and uptake of CDC’s Guidance for Reopening Buildings After Prolonged Shutdown or Reduced Operation, and
  • Their preferences for future educational materials about building reopening guidance.

Following best practices in reopening is essential to improve safety of occupants and to avoid unintended consequences such as exposure to mold, lead, copper, and biofilm-based pathogens. Little is currently known about the practices of owners and building managers related to reopening buildings. CDC will use results from this assessment to inform development of best practices. Access the survey here. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact hlb8@cdc.gov. The survey closes on December 18, 2020.

• Natural Disasters and COVID-19: Preparedness Information for Specific Groups
  • With social distancing and other preventive actions taking place to reduce the spread of COVID-19, preparing for hurricanes and other natural disasters might look a little different this year. For example, you might find that it is harder or takes longer to get certain medications and supplies that you will need to have in your emergency preparedness kits. If you live in an area that tends to be impacted by hurricanes or severe weather events, it is important to start planning early. If you are someone who has specific needs (including durable medical equipment, medicines, or medical care) or may have trouble gaining access to services, it is especially important to take extra steps to prepare for your needs during and after a hurricane.

From State and Health Departments

• Monitoring and Evaluating Covid-19 Mitigation Strategies in K-12 Schools: Interview Guide
• Monitoring and Evaluating Covid-19 Mitigation Strategies In K-12 Schools: Focus Group Guide
• Monitoring and Evaluating Mitigation Strategies in Child Care Programs

From Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

To assist health departments with COVID-19 response and planning, Johns Hopkins has created free training materials with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies. There are developed trainings that are available at no cost via CoursePlus, and in other remote and electronic formats (example for Contact tracing oversight/supervision). Other free resources are linked to their website, and will be posted as they are developed and available to use or download as needed.

Johns Hopkins needs help identifying and prioritizing areas of additional support. This survey takes about 10 minutes and can help them support health departments better. Johns Hopkins will plan to send out results and our development plan in the weeks that follow.

See any EH and COVID-19 categories missing on this bi-weekly blog? Let us know by emailing environmentalhealth@naccho.org. Continue to check back with NACCHO’s Essential Elements for COVID-19 and LHD resources.