Dear Colleague,
 
Tragically, we are seeing new spikes in COVID-19 around the world, including in countries that had done a remarkable job flattening the incidence of the virus.

The United States is enduring an escalation in infections and mortality.
Public health measures have been relaxed or not adhered to, and sadly we are seeing the consequences of these actions.

We, as global health professionals, need to take every opportunity to speak out in support of the individual and governmental actions needed to curb the spread of SARS CoV-2. Below you will find what we have been doing to address the pandemic and advocacy efforts you can support. We need everyone speaking out publicly and with their elected officials. Also included are an array of reports, articles and guidance that we hope will help you in your work.

Please also don’t forget to register for our upcoming webinars. Stay safe.

Best wishes,
Keith Martin MD
Executive Director
CUGH
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Archives of past newsletters are available at : https://www.cugh.org/announcements/covid-19-newsletter

This newsletter is divided into the following sections:
  • Advocacy efforts
  • Recent pandemic updates
  • Resources for educators
  • Resources for researchers
  • Resources for health practitioners
  • Member requests
  • Other resources
ADVOCACY EFFORTS

Thursday, July 30 at 3-4 PM ET

The Black Lives Matter protests and the COVID-19 pandemic have shone a bright light on deep, longstanding disparities affecting Black Americans and other people of color in the United States. These structural, race-based obstacles run across education, healthcare, housing, infrastructure, the justice system and other aspects of American society. Evidence-based solutions exist that can effectively remove these obstacles and improve outcomes for these disadvantaged groups.

Join our webinar, featuring two leading public health figures with deep expertise in this area who will address what policymakers and communities need to do to tackle these long-standing challenges to improve socio-economic outcomes for Black Americans and other disadvantaged communities in the US.

July 29, August 5, and August 12 at 11 AM EDT

See here for more information and to register for this CME-accredited webinar series with the NIH's National Cancer Institute .

On July 22, we sent a letter to all US Senators in support of S. 3606 – the Health Force and Resilience Force Act of 2020. Read the full letter here .

Also see our recent press release supporting the NIH and CDC.

“American citizens are continuing to pay with their lives for the While House’s failures. Medical professionals across the country need to stand up and defend Dr. Fauci and other public servants who are speaking out in support of proven evidence-based approaches that save lives. Scientists need to stand together in defense of science but most importantly in the defense of people’s lives.” - Dr. Keith Martin. Read the full press release here .

Communication between scientists, their members of Congress and the public is more critical now than ever. The anti-science movement is a threat to public health and continues to grow even in the face of this pandemic. Scientists need to speak out to address the dangerous messages they are promulgating.

To address this challenge, CUGH created a Network of Academic Advisors (NAA) to connect our members in the US with their congresspersons and the public. It is a platform to share evidence-based solutions that can inform and strengthen public policy development and increase support for US investments and leadership in global health.

We also created the State Technical Advisory Team (STAT) that works in the same way but at a state level.

If you would like to participate in the NAA please fill out this form .
To join the STAT, fill out this form

Please note that only US citizens may join the STAT or NAA.  

CUGH is partaking in The Campaign to Support WHO, a call to action focused on ensuring US support for the WHO and PAHO. The following is an easy form to contact your members of Congress.   We are asking you to please participate in this campaign by contacting your Congresspersons through   this form .

If your organization would like to request an organization sign-on, please see here . If you work with WHO collaborating centers, it is vital that your Congresspersons hear from you and how this decision will negatively impact the US and the world.

There are over 13 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 570,000+ associated deaths around the world today. Pharmaceutical corporation controlled monopolies and exclusive licenses will not solve this problem. Join Oxfam, UNAIDs, and hundreds of world leaders who are calling for a “People’s Vaccine.” Sign the petition here .

How can we ensure that a new COVID-19 vaccine is not priced so high poor countries and marginalized populations are left behind? Moderated by Dr. Gavin Yamey, this conversation featured human rights lawyer and social justice activist Fatima Hassan and public health lawyer Priti Krishtel, a veteran of the global access to medicines movement on how we can achieve this goal.

"I call on you, our partners in these endeavors, to join us in our quest for peace, equality and social justice. This is a time when we must band together, to help each other, to repair and remake our society for the next generation, even as we address the physical and economic devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. We cannot, we must not, fail..."

See more of Dr. Roger Glass's recent opinion column here .
RECENT PANDEMIC UPDATES

Wednesday, July 29th, 2020, 9 am (ET)

During this webinar, two presentations will be made on antibody testing for COVID-19. The presentations include "SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing – for what purpose?" as well as "Antibodies and Immunity to SARS-CoV-2: A Vexing Issue."

The Africa CDC is the continent’s leading agency to address public health challenges affecting that region. They produce a wealth of knowledge that can be useful to many organizations around the world. Please see their website, www.africacdc.org , for:
  • Daily COVID-19 updates
  • Information on their COVID-19 Response Fund
  • Their Pooled Procurement Portal
  • Other activities

This daily (M-F) newsletter from the University of Washington provides a succinct summary of the latest scientific literature related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Click here  to subscribe.

This website from Johns Hopkins University is an outstanding resource to help advance the understanding of the virus, inform the public, and brief policymakers in order to guide a response, improve care, and save lives. It includes access to an interactive COVID-19 map.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 Center provides tailored guidance to keep people safe. The site also contains a number of resources on the virus, including cases, data, and surveillance.

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR),  Foreign Affairs, and CFR’s Think Global Health website bring you background and analysis on the COVID-19 pandemic, written by CFR fellows, CFR.org and ForeignAffairs.com editorial staffs, and leading experts.

The COVID Racial Data Tracker is a collaboration between the COVID Tracking Project and the Antiracist Research & Policy Center. Together, they're gathering the most complete race and ethnicity data on COVID-19 in the United States.

A Preventing Epidemics release, Weekly Science Review provides a snapshot of the new and emerging scientific evidence related to COVID-19.
RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS

Will re-opening plans be undone by off-campus social life? Preeti Malani, M.D., FIDSA of the University of Michigan and Carlos del Rio, M.D., FIDSA of Emory University discuss the obstacles colleges and universities will face amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

How can college leaders respond to uncertainty and fear, a sense of loss, and feelings of isolation? What virtual resources and support networks are campuses providing, including to those who are experiencing trauma and grief? Even as people are scattered and institutions face budget cuts, they are continuing to develop creative approaches. 

Academic administrators know that emergency remote teaching, in its current state, is a short-term solution that will not suffice if we are to face extended or repeated periods of distancing in the pandemic era. Effective online education requires training, preparation, and support — not to replicate courses, but to redesign them. This forum focuses on the resources colleges need now to design and develop high-quality online courses to take the place of in-person courses this summer and fall.
RESOURCES FOR RESEARCHERS

This page provides information on all things related to COVID-19 and the NIH. Also see Fogarty International Center's COVID-19 page , which contains coronavirus news, funding and resources for global health researchers.

Although information about COVID-19 protective behaviors such as handwashing, mask-wearing, and social distancing has been widely disseminated in the United States by federal and local governments, research has shown significant gaps in the public’s understanding and behavior, maybe because of inconsistency and lack of optimal tailoring. A new article in the  American Journal of Preventive Medicine  led by Columbia research  John Allegrante , PhD, argues behavioral science expertise that is central to achieving protective behaviors. 
RESOURCES FOR HEALTH PRACTITIONERS

The University of Memphis Psychotherapy Research Lab, led by Professor Jeffrey Berman, is conducting a study titled  The Pandemic Coping Project  which aims to explore the usefulness of different coping strategies during social isolation. The COVID-19 public health crisis and the large-scale societal changes implemented to combat the virus have impacted all individuals in profound and unique ways. This research seeks to understand individual experiences and evaluate ways of coping during the pandemic
 
If you are interested in participating, you would fill out the initial questionnaire that takes no more than 15 minutes. There are two additional follow-up questionnaires over the next two weeks. To learn more and sign up as a participant in this study, visit  here .
 
For more information or questions about this project, contact Rachel Pace, Rivian Lewin, Andrew Snell, and Dr. Jeffrey Berman at pandemic_project@memphis.edu .

This guide, updated on July 16, contains the latest recommendations around home based care for those with COVID-19 or its symptoms in clear, easy to understand language. It is free and open for use by the public.

Topics include:
  • Brief overview of COVID-19 
  • Symptoms of COVID-19 and emergency warning signs for seeking immediate care
  • Home set-up 
  • Infection, prevention and control in the home
  • When to end isolation
  • Contacts and quarantine protocols
  • Routine health services for mothers and children including child feeding 
  • Household emotional support for both adults and children
  • Domestic violence and sexual assault 
  • Household food security and nutrition 

This guide was designed as a supplemental tool for organizations who coordinate community-based education and support for COVID-19 prevention and response and/or who work specifically with community health workers (CHWs) (including trained community health volunteers) to reach households with one-on-one counselling and information.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on radiology, resulting in a sharp drop in imaging volume, a significant increase in working remotely and major changes in clinical operations in radiology departments and practices across the world.

But as the health care industry struggles to control the virus and scientists work on a potential vaccine, radiologists in some parts of the U.S. and the world are returning to their practices — with proper protocols in place — or are planning to reopen soon. 

Faced with this challenge, many radiologists are asking one question: How do we return to a normal operation — or as near to normal as possible — after the initial COVID-19 surge?

Created in collaboration with Stanford Emergency Medicine International
This course is designed for training physicians, nurses and other healthcare workers. It covers topics including symptoms and signs in patients with COVID-19, early stabilization of patients, preventing the need for intubation, and ventilator management of patients.

To enroll in this course, click the Coursera or edX Enroll buttons for a full web optimized learning experience and certification opportunities.
MEMBER REQUESTS

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed entrenched health inequities in the U.S. that are propelled by social structures and influenced by factors ranging from housing conditions to transportation options to quality food access. Black Americans are experiencing the highest overall COVID-19 mortality rate in America. And a recent analysis further confirmed the extent of such disparities -- with Black Americans, as well as Hispanics and Latinos, carrying a disproportionate burden of years of potential life lost due to the pandemic. One of the authors of that analysis, Harvard Chan Professor Nancy Krieger, took your questions about health inequities and the pandemic .
OTHER RESOURCES

Wednesday, July 29th, 2020, 7:00 AM (ET)

The Digital Unconference is a mutual learning series on how health systems research can help both governments and the private sector build health system capacity during COVID-19 and beyond. This mutual learning series aims to ensure that lessons learned during this emergency sustain and contribute to strengthening future health systems and achieving universal health coverage. 

In this AMA ethic talks, journal editor in chief, Dr Audiey Kao, talks with Dr Vish Viswanath about the digital spread of health misinformation and falsehoods during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Thursday, July 30, 2020, 9:00AM (ET)

COVID-19 has had an enormous impact on the health systems of developing countries. During this event we will discuss how various developing countries in Africa are responding to the pandemic as well as how the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is helping partner countries in the short-term. We will also discuss the long-term need for resilient and flexible health systems and the future of global cooperation and the Human Security approach.

CORE Group facilitated a Virtual RoundTable in conversation with Patricia McIlreavy, President and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and Michael Shipler, Vice President of Strategy for Search for Common Ground with an introduction by the CORE Group Humanitarian-Development Task Force Co-Chairs, Cammi Blackburn of World Vision and Sarah Kellogg IMA World Health.

In today’s world, poverty is one of the main obstacles to effectively addressing humanitarian issues, while humanitarian issues are the main challenge of long-term development. Peace-building was presented as an integral element of connecting humanitarian and development, especially in the many conflict zones worldwide. A key takeaway was the importance of incorporating an Adaptive Management approach to improve long-term outcomes.

Scientific Program Chair Dan Bausch, MD, MPH&TM, FASTMH, shares his insights on the COVID-19 pandemic and response. Dr. Bausch has been combating outbreaks more than 25 years. He talks about the role of science and individuals in pandemics, and how ASTMH and its members have been responding to the novel coronavirus.

Never in the history of humanity have so many people been feeling intense anxiety related to COVID-19 and the world it will leave in its wake. The intent of this course is to give you a deeper understanding of the anxiety reaction as it relates to various aspects of our current life, ranging from our consumption of news to the way we talk to our children about this. It will also give you clear strategies for managing and, in fact, turning off the anxiety response at least for short periods.

Nearly 4 million babies are born each year in the United States. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, pregnant women are concerned about their health and the health of their children.

University of Michigan maternal and child health expert  Miatta Buxton , an assistant research scientist in the Department of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health, discusses the issue.
Consortium of Universities for Global Health
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