Earlier today CovidExitStrategy.org, United States of Care, Resolve to Save Lives, Covid19StatePolicy.org, and the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy held a press webinar outlining new data on COVID-19 surges, effectiveness of masks and also addressed the new policy of data being sent to HHS rather than the DCD. You can view the video of the webinar here and listen to the audio here.
"At United States of Care, we have found that Americans want accurate and reliable data to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. Covidexitstrategy.org provides that need, by supplying real-time data on where their state stands in the battle against COVD-19," stated Emily Barson, United States of Care Executive Director. "As a policy organization, we outlined our recommendations for the next COVID-19 relief package being debated on Capitol Hill and, with a group of other organizations, we sent a letter advocating for more resources for contract tracing.. Accurate and timely data must be used to inform the public and policymakers on how to combat COVID-19 and prepare for the fall flu season," added Barson.
CovidExitStrategy.org was founded by a group of public health and crisis experts, with previous experience working at the White House, Department of Health and Human Services, and on the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. COVID Exit Strategy is a non-partisan group of experts who have worked across multiple administrations.
"Last week, we lost access to a critical indicator: the utilization and availability of intensive care and inpatient beds by each state. This happened because hospitals were instructed to report data to a new system developed by HHS called HHS Protect. The data feeds were returned within the week, but we are seeing inconsistencies in the data. We hope those are resolved soon, so we can continue to incorporate that data." said Ryan Panchadsaram, Co-Founder of CovidExitStrategy.org. "The new HHS Protect system incorporates 200 datasets. Currently only 2-3 categories of data are being made available to the public. It is critical that the public has access to all COVID response related data."
"We are lacking key data on testing, such as test turnaround time, to understand if isolation and quarantine strategies can be effective to control disease. We don't know how any state is doing with respect to contact tracing. Most don't report any information on essential indicators related to contact tracing programs. We need more publicly available, standardized data across the country to understand patterns of disease and effectiveness of our response" remarked Cyrus Shahpar of Resolve to Save Lives.
"As we look at COVID-19 raging in the Sunbelt states, we need to remember that there States in the North East that not only have been successful in lowering previously high case levels, but have also managed to prevent a resurgence of cases after reopening. We can and should learn from those states," said Marta Wosinska, Deputy Director at the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy.
"With many new orders issued over the last four weeks, 30 states and DC now have strict, statewide mandates to wear masks at least in indoor public spaces. This means more than 70% of Americans live under these statewide orders. However, a large number of current "hotspot" states like Florida, Georgia, and Arizona still lack sufficiently broad statewide mandates." added Christopher Adolph of Covid19StatePolicy.org. A summary of the timing of statewide mask mandates across the United States is here.
As part of the call, USofCare also outlined their recommendations for the next COVID-19 relief package being presented to Congress, and a letter with the American Medical Association and other business, and medical and service groups that advocates for more resources for contract tracing,
"Congress is capable of building a reliable health care system with enough resources to support frontline workers and our communities, including those disproportionately impacted, both now and after the pandemic," Andrew Schwab, Director of Policy, Federal Affairs & Partnerships at United States of Care. "We stand ready to work across the aisle with both the House and the Senate on the next pandemic relief package, but the window of opportunity for Congress to act is closing. To ease the process, we are providing policymakers with a set of achievable federal policy recommendations that will enable people, states and local governments to battle COVID-19 more effectively before a vaccine is available."
United States of Care urges Congress to address the following three priorities in its next COVID-19 relief package:
Support an Ongoing Robust Public Health Response
- Appropriate $75 billion for contact tracing, testing, and isolation efforts across the country
Support People and States
- Appropriate $500 billion in new state and local funding
- Establish new incentives for states to increase Medicaid eligibility.
- Provide $38.5 billion to ensure the continuation of critical mental health resources.
Transform Health Care For The Future
- Build a health care workforce to tackle COVID-19 and future pandemics in all communities
- Establish a COVID-19 Health Care Resilience Program to improve access and care and keep providers in business. Upfront payments would immediately allow providers to invest in the resources they need to respond to COVID-19, including
- Testing supplies (e.g., personal protective equipment) and staff for screening, testing, and contact tracing;
- Infrastructure to facilitate COVID-19 data sharing with public health authorities; and
- Telehealth and remote monitoring tools to support the implementation or expansion of home-based models of care.