A joint statement on transitioning away from universal case investigation and contact tracing for individual cases of COVID-19 by public health agencies.
On Sept. 3, 2020, Rachel Levine, MD, ASTHO President and Secretary of Health for Pennsylvania, issued a statement of concern and called for rigorous scientific testing in response to comments from federal leadership that implied a COVID-19 ...
On June 23, 2020, ASTHO CEO Michael Frasier and ASTHO president, and Arkansas secretary of health, Nathaniel Smith, MD, MPH issued a statement urging the American public to follow public health measures, such as wearing face coverings, to ...
On Aug. 13, 2020, ASTHO and the National Coalition of STD Directors announced that their joint venture, Making Content: A Training for COVID-19 Contact Tracers has been awarded a Power of A Silver Award by the American Society of ...
On Feb, 5, 2020, ASTHO CEO Micheal Fraser issued a statement assuring Americans that governmental public health officials are equipped to face the challenge of preparing for and responding to the current novel coronavirus (COVID-19). ...
On March 4, 2020, ASTHO member and Illinois state public health officer Ngozi Ezike, MD, testified about the COVID-19 pandemic response before a House committee.
On June 23, 2020, Joneigh S. Khaldun, MD, MPH, the health official from Michigan, and an ASTHO member, testified before a Senate committee about the lessons learned so far from the COVID-19 pandemic.
On July 16, 2020, ASTHO announced the release of a COVID-19 issue guide that delves into the evolving role and function of technology in this pandemic response. Particularly as it relates to contact tracing, case investigation, and use of ...
When rural hospitals close, it increases the distance people must travel for essential healthcare services. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and magnified the factors leading to rural hospital closures across the country. Many ...
As COVID spread through the country and infection rates rose in every state, many of the the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) received media attention for remaining relatively COVID-free. The USAPI’s unified response in the face of ...
The 2019-2020 flu season had approximately 5 million fewer illnesses than the previous year. Thanks to COVID-19 mitigation efforts like social distancing and increased handwashing—coupled with a higher rate of flu vaccinations among the ...
As the country prepares for the inauguration of President-Elect Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on Wednesday, the incoming administration has highlighted several priorities over the next four years. This post is a summary of priorities that are ...
With many of the state and territorial legislatures reconvening over the next few weeks, we can look forward to new (and not-so-new) legislation start to crop up that will impact public health. To help navigate the new legislative ...
I think we all welcomed 2021 with open arms as we look to put the worst of 2020 behind us. We have all been through a lot—we have lost family members and friends to COVID-19, we have seen public health officials harassed and maligned, we ...
The 2020 holiday season is coinciding with a nationwide surge of COVID-19 cases. With great concern that holiday travel to see loved ones may exacerbate community spread of the virus, many states are increasing public health measures ...
As COVID-19 emerged and spread in the U.S., people working and residing in long-term care facilities have experienced a significant burden of COVID-19 cases and deaths. As of Oct. 8, deaths associated with these facilities account for 40% ...
COVID-19 has elevated our nation’s stress level. When not managed properly (or without any buffers like social support) stress is associated with increased depression and anxiety. Because COVID-19 impacts risk factors for suicide, such as ...
In anticipation of the upcoming presidential election in November, the Republican and Democratic National Committees released their platforms. These platforms provide an overview of values, policies, positions, and principles on various ...
Several states and territories, as well as many local governments, are going beyond recommendations and requiring individuals to wear face coverings when they are in public settings and spaces (i.e. grocery stores, retail stores, ...
Responsible for planting, growing, harvesting, processing, and preparing the food we eat, agricultural workers are essential workers during the COVID-19 response to keep the U.S. food supply chain operating efficiently. But farmworkers are ...