With summer around the corner, we hope our stakeholders can take some much-deserved self-care time, however that looks for you. As you continue safeguarding your communities, we will keep sharing your colleagues’ promising findings. Please continue visiting our Novel Coronavirus Resources Page and CDC’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage, and reach out if you need technical assistance (TA).

Disasters don’t take time off, and Tropical Storm Arthur, recent earthquakes in Nevada, and flooding in Michigan are good reminders that we need to plan for secondary (simultaneous) disasters. This planning should include developing and operating shelters that incorporate social distancing. Check out the ASPR TRACIE technical assistance response Healthcare System Preparedness for Secondary Disasters during COVID-19 for related tips. Our most recent issue of The Exchange highlighted wildfire and planned power outage preparedness and response, and our Hurricane Resources Page includes links to our Natural Disasters Topic Collection and other helpful publications.   

This issue of The Express highlights the following new, updated, or upcoming resources:

• Recording Now Available: Funding Sources for the Establishment and Operationalization of Alternate Care Sites, hosted by ASPR TRACIE in collaboration with the HHS/FEMA COVID-19 Healthcare Resilience Task Force, featured interagency partners providing an overview and discussing the information contained in the ACS Funding Summary Tip Sheet.
• Coming Soon: ACS Toolkit, Third Edition, which provides augmented guidance based on feedback and experience with the national ACS mission, including information on retaining an ACS as a warm site.

• COVID-19: Healthcare Delivery Impacts can help healthcare system planners prepare to mitigate the potential healthcare delivery impacts that result from pandemic-related community mitigation actions.
• Hospital Onboarding Checklist uses a three-phase approach, providing resources and examples of online sources that can streamline processes and facilitate hiring efforts to address surge-staffing needs.  
• COVID-19 Clinical Experiences from the Field (updated) is a compilation of reports and findings from published articles and clinical rounds presentations, webinars, and news articles on COVID-19.
• COVID-19 Healthcare Workforce Virtual Toolkit (updated to include the new collection Workforce Solutions from the Field).

COVID-19: Healthcare System Operations Strategies and Experiences features presenters from some of the hardest hit hospitals in New York, Louisiana, and the Western Navajo Reservation (AZ) sharing their experiences with adjusting operations and logistics to manage patient surge.

Mini Modules on Relieving Healthcare Worker Stress:

• Stress Management Exercises
• Creating a Practical Self-Care Plan
• Leaning Towards Organizational Wellness in an Emergency  

COVID-19 Clinical Rounds Peer-to-Peer Virtual Communities of Practice are a collaborative effort between ASPR, the National Emerging Special Pathogen Training and Education Center (NETEC), and Project ECHO. These interactive virtual learning sessions aim to create a peer-to-peer learning network where clinicians from the U.S. and abroad who have experience treating patients with COVID-19 share their challenges and successes; a generous amount of time for participant Q & A is also provided. Three webinar topics are covered every week:

• EMS: Patient Care and Operations (Mondays, 12:00-1:00 PM ET)
• Critical Care: Lifesaving Treatment and Clinical Operations (Tuesdays, 12:00-1:00 PM ET)
• Emergency Department: Patient Care and Clinical Operations (Thursdays, 12:00-1:00 PM ET)

Access previous webinars and sign up today to receive information on upcoming webinars!

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a letter regarding respirators deemed inadequate for healthcare providers; check out the list of authorized respirators today.  

The Healthcare & Public Health Sector Partnership led by ASPR’s Division of Critical Infrastructure Protection is actively engaged in responding to COVID-19. If you are interested in receiving regular response bulletins, sign up by emailing cip@hhs.gov.