775: Long COVID Policies, H5N1 Talking Points

SUMMER JOHNSON: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Tuesday, October 22, 2024. I'm Summer Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

CATHERINE MURPHY: 

Health inequities are an important factor for Long COVID risk, including disability, geographic, and other societal factors. So, folks with Long COVID may require medical care for multiple specialists, and this can be complicated by access to health care, proximity to providers, their ability to miss work or school,, and other factors.

JOHNSON: 

More federal investment for Long COVID could be on the horizon, ASTHO's Catherine Murphy and Catherine Jones teamed up to give members a comprehensive update on these efforts. Here's Murphy.

MURPHY: 

There are multiple bills floating around on Long COVID. We noted two in the blog, in particular. Senator Kaine, who's been very open about his ongoing battle with Long COVID, introduced the bipartisan and bicameral CARE for Long COVID Act, which is co-led by Senator Young. This legislation would provide support for research and provider education on the condition.

JOHNSON: 

Murphy says ASTHO has been involved in the Long COVID policy process with lawmakers.

MURPHY: 

ASTHO was also pleased to provide comments on the Long COVID Research Moonshot Act, which was introduced by Senator Sanders, Chair of the Senate Health Committee. This legislation would direct NIH to create a Long COVID database, advisory board, and grant process for clinical trials, would ensure affordability of NIH-developed treatments, would fund multidisciplinary clinics that provide comprehensive care and would develop best practices for Long COVID care.

JOHNSON: 

At the same time, Murphy says there are several initiatives to fund Long COVID research, such as the NIH's RECOVER initiative. RECOVER stands for Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery.

MURPHY: 

RECOVER is working to understand risk factors, track how many people are experiencing Long COVID, study how the condition changes over time, and to identify potential treatments.

JOHNSON: 

Murphy added, the Biden administration also developed a coordinated federal agency research plan for Long COVID care that includes prevention, treatment, workforce development, and interventions. The ASTHO blog article updating on the federal response to Long COVID is available now. There's a link in the show notes.

In recent months, the H5N1 bird flu was discovered to have moved from bird populations to some of the country's dairy cow supplies. And the Association of Public Health Laboratories has an online resource to help you provide quick answers to constituent questions. Dr. Ewa King is with APHL. 

EWA KING: 

Since February of this year, over 53,000 specimens were subtyped in public health laboratories in the United States and only a single specimen in Missouri that was in many ways unusual was found positive for H5. So, this gives us a lot of confidence that we know that the strains of influenza currently circulating are really the seasonal subtypes.

JOHNSON: 

When asked how public health agencies can best communicate the low risk to humans in their communities, here's what King had to say...

KING: 

I feel that maintaining and strengthening existing surveillance systems, increasing awareness of the healthcare providers at the provider level, and a focus on preventing human infections, especially those from handling known infected animals, whether poultry or cattle, are some of the messages that and actions that need to be taken by public health professionals at this point.

JOHNSON: 

She says public health can also take steps to protect agricultural workers and those messages are critical, too.

KING: 

I feel that making that connection and educating people, that protecting those who are most at-risk is protective of not just those individuals themselves, but it's also protective of the entire population as an important step for us to take.

JOHNSON: 

The APHL article goes deeper into the latest information and these messages. You can read it using the link in the show notes.

Also, next week, ASTHO will host an online event with the latest in public health technology resources. The event is designed so you can engage with public health peers who are using the latest performance management systems to track indicators and outcomes. That online event is next Wednesday, October 30. It's free and you can register using the link in the show notes.

Finally, today, Public Health Infrastructure Grant funds helped a state agency audit its approach to communications and the agency is sharing the process with you. O'Keyla Cooper has more.

O'KEYLA COOPER: 

The Oklahoma State Department of Health revamped its communication strategies post-COVID-19, enhancing their approach to better serve communities and promote equity. A video created by ASTHO highlights their journeys, covering key processes, best practices and outcomes. To watch the video, check out the link in the show notes.

SUMMER JOHNSON: 

That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning at 5 a.m. with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Summer Johnson, you're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.