National Public Health Surveillance for Chemical and Radiologic Exposures and Emerging Drug Threats - COVID-19 Supplemental

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This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announces the availability of emergency supplemental funding to support the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) efforts that will enhance CDC’s COVID-19 surveillance and response activities by increasing CDC/National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) access to information about calls received by U.S. poison centers (PCs) related to COVID-19 pandemic not currently captured by routine National Poison Data System (NPDS) access. Since 2006, EMRCB and AAPCC have worked together to develop, implement, and continuously improve a system for receiving and compiling data from US poison centers (PCs) that can be used for public health surveillance of toxic exposures at the national level. EMRCB staff uses AAPCC's system, the National Poison Data System (NPDS), to: 1) improve surveillance for toxic exposures based on data collected from US PCs; 2) identify early markers of public health emergencies so appropriate, rapid public health response can be launched; and 3) improve situational awareness about ongoing or emerging chemical or radiological exposures. This NOFO will fund important activities including: 1) access to a subset of PC call notes for calls related to COVID-19 illness and clinical management (e.g., treatment, medication use, adverse events) and/or exposure calls related to potentially harmful actions taken by individuals to prevent, treat, or cure COVID-19 (e.g., vitamin and herbal supplement use, exposure to cleaning products); and 2) coordination with American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) and regional PCs to conduct follow-up studies regarding of COVID-19 and related exposure calls. While CDC/NCEH has access within NPDS to basic information related to the purpose of the calls, demographic characteristics of the callers, and outcome of the call, these data are limited. Expanded access to call notes and potential follow-up of COVID-19 and related exposure calls can describe caller concerns, needs, and specific medical details. This additional information will enhance CDC and state health department COVID-19 response activities including messaging and advice as well as improved situational awareness and preparedness for potential future outbreaks.

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