key: cord-0049102-l7dfq7j0
authors: Hsu, Joy
title: U.S. Public Health Resources for COVID-19 That Are Relevant to Allergy/Immunology
date: 2020-08-25
journal: Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol
DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2020.08.023
sha: 06e6a7ad4995fe9ab14b26c362dd788e407f5c66
doc_id: 49102
cord_uid: l7dfq7j0

nan

1 healthcare systems, community leaders, and others. This Perspective will focus on providing an 2 overview of U.S. public health resources (as of August 2020) related to the coronavirus disease 3 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that might be most relevant to allergists/immunologists. A novel coronavirus was first reported in January 2020. 1 This virus, subsequently named 6 SARS-CoV-2, is thought to spread mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets 7 among people who are in close contact (within about 6 feet). 1,2 SARS-CoV-2 infection can result 8 in mild to severe symptoms, which can include but are not limited to fever, chills, cough, 9 difficulty breathing, fatigue, body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, nasal 10 congestion, rhinorrhea, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Among >1.3 million laboratory-confirmed, 11 adult and pediatric COVID-19 cases reported in the United States during January 22-May 30, 12 2020, 14% of cases were hospitalized, 2% were admitted to an intensive care unit, and 5% died. 3 

Limited available data suggest that among adults with severe COVID-19, dysregulated innate 14 and adaptive immune responses contribute to host tissue damage. 4 Clinical guidance is available 15 for managing COVID-19 (e.g., https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/ and Resource 1 16 in Table 1 ).

The overall goal of U.S. public health actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has 19 been to reduce community spread of SARS-CoV-2 in this country. The federal government has 20 worked closely with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, other public health partners, and 21 others to respond to this public health threat. [1] [2] [3] As one of the federal agencies involved in this Table 1 ); providing technical assistance to state and 26 local jurisdictions on surveillance data collection, contact tracing, and outbreak investigation 1-3 ; 27 and publishing guidance documents for healthcare providers and others on subjects like infection 28 prevention and control (IPC), clinic preparedness for COVID-19 (e.g., Resource 2 in Table 1 ), 29 and personal protective equipment supply planning (e.g., Resource 3 in Table 1 ). 1 30 31 CDC actions to support healthcare providers, health systems, and first responders have 32 included: developing guidance for and conducting outreach to clinical and hospital professional 33 organizations to prepare health systems to treat patients (e.g., Resources 1-5 in Table 1 Table 1 ). Table 1 ).

CDC resources for the public (available in multiple languages) include information for patients 49 and communities served by allergists/immunologists (e.g., patients with immune suppression or 50 moderate to severe asthma) on how to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure and spread, as well 51 as how people with moderate to severe asthma can reduce their risk of asthma symptoms 52 triggered by exposure to cleaning and disinfecting products (Resources 8-10 in Table 1 ). Table 1 ). Other clinician-oriented activities to address MIS-C include 65 a CDC-led, informational call that was recorded and is now publicly available (Resource 13 in 66 Table 1 ). CDC investigators are assessing reported cases and children's health outcomes to try to 67 learn more about specific risk factors for MIS-C, how the illness progresses in children, and how 68 to better identify MIS-C and distinguish it from similar illnesses (Resource 14 in Table 1 ). Table 1 ). Also, allergists/immunologists can continue to provide high-quality patient care to 74 maintain optimal control of medical conditions such as asthma; CDC's set of strategies for 75 asthma (known as "EXHALE"; see Resource 11 in Table 1 ) can help allergists/immunologists 76 work with their communities to control this disease. Moreover, all healthcare providers, 77 including allergists/immunologists, who have cared for or are caring for patients younger than 21 78 years old meeting MIS-C criteria should report suspected cases to their local, state, or territorial 79 health department (see Resource 12 in Table 1 ). 

Initial Public Health Response and Interim Clinical Guidance for the 2 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak -United States

Public Health Response to the Initiation and Spread of Pandemic COVID-19 in 6 the United States

COVID-19: Immunopathology and its Implications for Therapy

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome

The following webpages include options to read the information in multiple languages. * As more information about COVID-19 and MIS-C becomes available, CDC will update its website pages accordingly.