As Omicron Cases Are Detected In New York, Gillibrand Pushes For Creation Of COVID-19, Pandemic Response Centers Of Excellence To Prepare For Future Variants, Help Prevent Public Health Emergencies

by Contributor | December 9, 2021 11:38 am

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced the bipartisan COVID-19 and Pandemic Response Centers of Excellence Act, which would deliver funding to establish COVID-19 and Pandemic Response Centers of Excellence programs at academic medical centers across the country.

Gillibrand was joined by Beth Finkel, State Director of AARP New York.

The legislation would improve our ability to swiftly respond to new variants like Omicron. It would authorize the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to designate eligible academic medical centers as “Centers of Excellence” to address COVID–19, including testing and diagnostics, patient care, mental health of health care workers and caregivers, health and health disparities, research, education, and training, and would also improve our ability to prepare for and prevent future pandemics. The legislation would authorize $500,000,000 total for the program and would provide $10,000,000 to at least ten academic medical centers for real-time response efforts to COVID-19 and for future pandemic preparedness.

“The Omicron variant, and the recent news that cases of the variant have been confirmed in New York, are a reminder that COVID is not over and that tackling pandemics and public health challenges is – and will be – an ongoing effort. Viruses evolve and our ability to respond must evolve alongside them – whether that’s our ability to monitor and meet the needs of COVID long-haulers, track new variants like Omicron, or prepare for the next public health emergency,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “The bipartisan, bicameral COVID-19 and Pandemic Response Centers of Excellence Act would provide critical startup funding to strengthen our nation’s emergency response preparedness as we battle the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, improve our response to new variants and build resiliency against any future pandemics or public health crises.”

Academic medical centers have been at the forefront of our nation’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and have historically been used to establish infrastructure for advancing life-saving medical discoveries. This forward-thinking federal investment would provide direct support and fortify our nation’s emergency response preparedness by supporting cutting-edge research, education, patient care, and community outreach related to COVID-19 and future pandemics.

The bipartisan, bicameral COVID-19 and Pandemic Response Centers of Excellence Act would create a Centers of Excellence administration program at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to improve and expedite our nation’s fight against COVID-19 and future pandemics. The Centers of Excellence model provides a holistic approach to care and has the flexibility to leverage public-private partnerships that will allow the United States to improve dissemination of clinician training, infection prevention, public health surveillance and outcomes tracking, public outreach and education, clinical research, and development for testing, treatment, and vaccines. This bill would authorize the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to academic medical centers and would seek to expedite their proactive work on:

COVID-19 patient care and survivor recovery
Mental health resources for frontline health care workers
Combating health care disparities and promoting health equity
Robust public health endangerment research and education
Future readiness to conduct diverse clinical trial research and vaccine research
The Centers of Excellence model would also address health care challenges specific to rural communities, including limited access to specialty medical care, inadequate year-round public health services, and inadequate access to culturally-competent and inclusive health care for LGBTQ+ and minority communities. The bill would direct centers to examine health disparities, such as those faced by rural communities, and best practices for promoting health equity, as well as provide technical assistance to support pandemic response in rural areas.

The COVID-19 and Pandemic Response Centers of Excellence Act is endorsed by AARP, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), Associated Medical Schools of New York, Solve M.E/CFS Initiative, Baylor Scott & White Health, Cornell University, Houston Methodist, Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, Louisiana State University, Mass General Brigham, NYU Langone Health, Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey, Stony Brook University, The Ohio State University, The University of Utah, University of Iowa Health Care, Washington University, Atrium Health, UNC Health & UNC School of Medicine, The State University of New York and New York-Presbyterian, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), University of Rochester Medical Center, and Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Press release from Kirsten Gillibrand’s press office.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/politics/gillibrand/as-omicron-cases-are-detected-in-new-york-gillibrand-pushes-for-creation-of-covid-19-pandemic-response-centers-of-excellence-to-prepare-for-future-variants-help-prevent-public-health-emergencies/

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