SETC Executive Committee Update

SETC Executive Committee Update | November 2020

SETC Virtual Town Hall - 11/06/2020

Please join us on Friday, November 6th at 3:00 p.m. EST for a virtual SETC town hall. Our goal is a lively attendee led discussion with anticipated topics including the 2020 RVCT, coping with COVID-19, and where our society is headed in the coming year. If you have any topics or questions you’d like to share in advance of the meeting, please send them to Shona (smiths79@michigan.gov).

Click on the image below to register for the 2020 SETC Town Hall.

See you soon!

COVID/TB Surveillance Activities

DTBE’s surveillance team is conducting a several activities to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on TB incidence at the national level. They have begun coordinating with several state programs and welcome additional input from any programs who have the time to provide it. If you are willing to talk about your TB surveillance experience in the time of COVID and assist an EIS officer with her surveillance evaluation please reach out to Julie (yxj9@cdc.gov) and Molly (qdx3@cdc.gov) at CDC.

NTCA has also created a working group with CDC to look at ways to best capture and measure TB/COVID-19 co-infection. CDC is awaiting final approval to begin their surveillance project and will send a Dear Colleague letter when they are ready to get started. We will forward the letter to this listserv to make sure any interested program has the opportunity to participate.

If you have other thoughts or ideas on ways that SETC can contribute to understanding this emerging issue please send them to Shona (smiths79@michigan.gov) or bring them up at the town hall.

Welcome SETC's New President-Elect

Katelynne Gardner Toren is the lead epidemiologist for tuberculosis surveillance and outbreak response at Public Health Seattle & King County Tuberculosis Program where she has worked since receiving her MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Washington six years ago. While Katelynne’s interest in infectious disease goes back to her high school days, her passion for TB solidified while doing TB bench research in Uganda.

Katelynne’s work currently focuses on data system development and management, outbreak investigations, process improvement, and community engagement strategies with a focus on civil surgeon reporting and LTBI awareness. She enjoys a good data analysis, but also really values engaging with the community through contact investigations and educational outreach efforts. Katelynne serves as the chair for the NTCA Survey Committee. Outside of work, Katelynne spends her time reading, taking neighborhood walks, and trying to convince her three-year-old that quiet time can be fun. Katelynne really appreciates the connections made through membership in SETC and looks forward to building even more.

Suggested reads by Katelynne Gardner Toren:

Overstory by Richard Powers || Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

Odds & Ends

Did you know provisional TB counts are reported weekly?

Weekly counts are posted through NNDSS HERE

CDC-TB Data Users Call — 3^rdTue of the month @ 2pm EST

Next EDN Workgroup Call — Nov 12th, 2020 @ 2pm EST

'GoodBye' SETC's outgoing President

As we move forward with welcoming new members of the SETC executive committee, we must also sadly say farewell to our outgoing past president as he cycles off the board. Jason Cummins, the recently awarded TB Controller of the year, (and perhaps the first Epidemiologist to be so awarded?) has been a mainstay of SETC since its inception. His has been one of the guiding visions in its direction and one of the most steadfast voices for good surveillance practice as part of TB response.

Always ready to reach out and lend a helping hand to TB programs across the country while deftly managing his own in Tennessee, it’s not hard to imagine that his calming presence and practiced voice will not be far off as the new executive group continues his work. Jason will, in fact, remain on the larger NTCA executive board for another term as a medium incidence state representative. The executive committee hopes that all the members of SETC will join us in thanking Jason for his outstanding work and in offering him best wishes for the future.

If you want to bug Jason, here y’all go! [jason.cummins@tn.gov]

How are things looking?

So far this year, how do you think TB case counts will end up for your area?

Lower than expected

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On par

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Higher than expected

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So far this year, your area’s TB client-services/work-up volume is…

Lower than expected

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On par

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Higher than expected

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Feedback from last survey outreach:

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NTCA TB Corrections Committee

The Corrections Committee meets quarterly to discuss issues surrounding TB in corrections and how we can assist to identify and treat TB in corrections.

These are exciting times to forge bonds between the SETC and the Corrections Committee. We're looking forward to working with you.

Teresa Nowland, Chair; Ellen Murray, Co-chair; and Brandy Cloud, Secretary

Survey Committee

This committee is tasked with crafting, monitoring, and analyzing surveys of national interest. Commitment is a one-hour call per month plus external survey review. If interested, please email

Katelynne Gardner Toren.

TB Infection Workgroup

This workgroup is intended to work on guidance for creating and understanding TB surveillance Infrastructure. It is on temporary hiatus but resuming in later March (hopefully!). Commitment is two one-hour calls per month (at maximum), though any participation is welcome including external document review. Contact Andy Tibbs.