FROM HOPKINS CITATIONS:
1. NEWS
Report: 20 Years After 9/11, America Still Not Fully Prepared for Public Health Emergencies A new report from Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) has found that 20 years after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, America is not fully prepared for public health emergencies. The report, 2021 Ready or Not: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters and Bioterrorism, found that while the country is better prepared than it was in 2001, there is an urgent need for federal, state and local policymakers to prioritize the nation’s health security — something illuminated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The report recommended that federal, state and local government bolster public health infrastructure investments to build the necessary workforce and systems that have otherwise been neglected, as well as federal investment in modernizing the public health data systems. (Homeland Preparedness News, 9/8/2021)
2. Using Wastewater Surveillance Data to Support the COVID-19 Response — United States, 2020–2021 Wastewater surveillance measures community infection trends. The accuracy of this surveillance approach is independent of health care–seeking behavior, health care access, or testing capacity. The National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) is a 43-jurisdiction, CDC-coordinated system for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance. Wastewater surveillance data have been used to deploy clinical testing resources, investigate possible irregularities in traditional surveillance, refine health messaging, and forecast clinical resource needs. NWSS provides community-level surveillance data that complement traditional surveillance and facilitate earlier, focused health department intervention and support in communities experiencing increasing trends in wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations. Community-level wastewater surveillance data can be leveraged for rapid assessment of emerging threats and preparedness for future pandemics. (CDC MMWR, 9/10/2021)
3. PRESS RELEASE
DHS to Increase Civil Penalties for Violations of the Federal Face Mask Requirement The Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will increase the range of civil penalties that may be imposed on individuals who violate the federal mask mandate at airports, on commercial aircraft, and in various modes of surface transportation, including passenger railroads, intercity bus services, and other public transportation. The federal mask mandate for transportation, which was implemented by TSA on February 2, 2021, will remain in effect until January 18, 2022. The new range of penalties, which take effect Friday, September 10, 2021, will be $500-$1000 for first offenders and $1000-$3000 for second offenders. (DHS, 9/9/2021)
FROM LETTER TO EDITOR NYT TODAY:
”I have finally learned that the deep pain and anger I have been dealing with — by being surrounded by many who don’t mask and many who aren’t vaccinated — really comes from the feeling of belonging to a community that doesn’t care about me, my family or others. A community should be a group of people who work together to make a safe and nice place to live. My community is currently the biggest threat to my family, and that is sad. How and when I will get over this, I’m unsure.”
— Celeste Huggins, Idaho Falls, Idaho
Marion County says they won’t enforce COVID-19 vaccine mandates
(J. Harris: Could this be another example of inspired East Texas political leadership? Notice on the chart below that Marion County currently leads East Texas in Covid cases as a percentage of the population. It’s unfortunate that the powers that be don’t understand much about mandated health needs in a Public Health Crisis. Over the last year, Marion County has gladly shared its unused vaccine with surrounding counties and schools. Of course, all the old doctors and valued health messengers for Marion County are long dead and gone. Too bad. In some places, trusted health, political, and religious leaders get a lot done by working together.)
FROM NYT 16 SEPT:
AND LAST BUT NOT LEASED”
Married men live longer than single men, but married men are a lot more willing to die.
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