[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 246 (Thursday, December 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 93936-93937]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30777]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-17-16AXB]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted 
the following information collection request to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The notice for the proposed 
information collection is published to obtain comments from the public 
and affected agencies.
    Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected 
agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are 
encouraged. Your comments should address any of the following: (a) 
Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary 
for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the 
accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; (d) Minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses; and 
(e) Assess information collection costs.
    To request additional information on the proposed project or to 
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call 
(404) 639-7570 or send an email to [email protected]. Written comments and/or 
suggestions regarding the items contained in this notice

[[Page 93937]]

should be directed to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of 
Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 395-
5806. Written comments should be received within 30 days of this 
notice.

Proposed Project

    Feasibility of Social Distancing Measures in K-12 Schools in the 
United States--New--National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic 
Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National 
Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division 
of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ), requests approval of a new 
information collection to identify potential social distancing 
strategies to reduce person-to-person contact among students and staff 
in K-12 schools that are implementable without causing major 
detrimental effects to ongoing education activities. CDC is requesting 
a one-year approval to collect information.
    The information collection for which approval is sought is in 
accordance with DGMQ/CDC's mission to reduce morbidity and mortality in 
mobile populations, and to prevent the introduction, transmission, or 
spread of communicable diseases within the United States. Insights 
gained from this information collection will assist in the planning and 
implementation of CDC Pre-Pandemic Community Mitigation Guidance on the 
use of school-based measures to slow transmission during an influenza 
pandemic.
    School-aged children are often the main introducers and an 
important transmission source of influenza and other respiratory 
viruses in their families, and school-based outbreaks frequently pre-
date wide-spread influenza transmission in the surrounding communities. 
Therefore, infection control measures undertaken to reduce virus 
transmission among children at schools may also help prevent or 
postpone influenza outbreaks in communities. In respiratory 
transmission of influenza, proximity to the person with influenza plays 
a significant role. Strategies that increase physical distance between 
students and/or reduce the duration of person to person contact in 
school settings may, theoretically, be effective in slowing influenza 
transmission. There have been no evaluations to date of feasibility of 
implementing social distancing measures other than school closures. 
Therefore, there is a need to research alternative social distancing 
strategies that can help reduce influenza transmission in schools while 
minimizing social and economic burdens on the community.
    CDC staff proposes that the information collection for this package 
will target senior education officials, senior health officials, and 
representatives from the National Association of School Nurses, school 
safety organizations/law enforcement, and National Distance Learning 
Association. CDC will collect qualitative data using focus group 
discussions on: (a) Current knowledge, attitudes, and potential 
practices with regard to organizing and delivering K-12 instruction in 
ways that help increase physical distance among students and/or reduce 
duration of in-person instruction at schools (including use of distance 
learning options), while preserving the normal education process; and 
(b) facilitating and inhibiting factors for implementing and sustaining 
the potential social distancing options in emergencies as an 
alternative to the complete student dismissal in K-12 schools.
    Findings obtained from this information collection will be used to 
inform the update of CDC's Pre-pandemic Community Mitigation Guidance 
on the implementation of school related measures to prevent the spread 
of influenza. This Guidance is used as an important planning and 
reference tool for both State and local health departments in the 
United States.
    There are no costs to the respondents other than their time. The 
maximum total estimated annual burden hours are 640.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                     Number of      Avg. burden
          Type of respondents                   Form name            Number of     responses per   per response
                                                                    respondents     respondent       (in hrs.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Senior educators; senior health         Focus Group Interview                320               1               2
 officials; representatives from the     Guide (semi-structured
 National Association of School          questionnaire).
 Nurses, school safety organizations/
 law enforcement, and National
 Distance Learning Association.
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Leroy A. Richardson,
Chief, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of the Associate Director for Science, Office of the 
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2016-30777 Filed 12-21-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-18-P