The CDC is seeking emergency OMB clearance to effectively complement its ongoing international and travel-related efforts for rapid case identification, contact tracing, and infection control of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa, now emerging within the US through travel-related routes. The CDC has developed a toolkit of standardized forms and guides for state, territorial, and local (STL) public health authorities to consider using whenever and wherever active monitoring for EVD must occur. These forms will be used whenever CDC is requested by STL public health authorities or by another federal agency to assist in the control and prevention of future EVD outbreaks. CDC has developed forms to collect case and contact information from several types of respondents that may require monitoring for EVD [general public including EVD cases, persons under investigation (PUI), contacts of an EVD case; healthcare workers (HCWs) with direct EVD patient contact; laboratory personnel; and environmental services personnel]. In addition, the CDC requests that STL public health authorities and their delegates provide daily reports of active surveillance updates to maintain situational awareness of EVD in the U.S.
This is an emergency request for 180-day OMB approval to allow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide uninterrupted emergency support for domestic Ebola virus disease (EVD) case investigation and contact tracing activities on behalf of state, territorial, and local public health authorities in the United States (U.S.). As of December, 2014, continued federal assistance in West Africa indicates that domestic screening and monitoring of travelers from Ebola-affected countries and their contacts here in the U.S. remains a public health priority.
US Code:
42 USC 241
Name of Law: US Public Health Service Act
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.