[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 95 (Friday, May 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29450-29451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-10410]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-20-20MZ; Docket No. CDC-2020-0043]


Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice with comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part 
of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the 
utility of government information, invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a proposed and/or 
continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on a proposed 
information collection project titled ``Emerging Infections Program 
(EIP) Tracking of SARS-CoV-2 Infections among Healthcare Personnel''. 
Through this project, EIP staff will collect data to: (1) Determine the 
extent of COVID-19 among HCP working in U.S. healthcare facilities; (2) 
describe characteristics of HCP exposed to or infected with SARS-CoV-2, 
including clinical activities and personal protective equipment use; 
and (3) compare exposures and other characteristics of HCP cases and 
exposed HCP that do not become cases to identify risk factors or 
protective factors for COVID-19.

DATES: CDC must receive written comments on or before July 14, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2020-
0043 by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road 
NE, MS-D74, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket Number. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments 
to Regulations.gov.
    Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
portal (regulations.gov) or by U.S. mail to the address listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan 
and instruments, contact Jeffrey M. Zirger, of the Information 
Collection Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
1600 Clifton Road NE, MS-D74, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; phone: 404-639-
7570; Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of 
information they conduct or sponsor. In addition, the PRA also requires 
Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register 
concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new 
proposed collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of 
information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information 
collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To 
comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a 
proposed data collection as described below.
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:
    1. 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;

[[Page 29451]]

    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    4. 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 
submissions of responses.
    5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

    Emerging Infections Program Tracking of SARS-CoV-2 Infections among 
Healthcare Personnel--New--National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic 
Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    CDC proposes to conduct tracking and interviews of healthcare 
personnel (HCP) with COVID-19 (HCP cases) and HCP exposed to COVID-19 
patients but who do not become cases (HCP non-cases) to determine the 
burden of infections and identify factors associated with development 
of COVID-19 among HCP of healthcare facilities within catchment areas 
of CDC's Emerging Infection Program's (EIP) sites, a network of 10 
state health departments and their local public health and academic 
partners. The EIP is currently approved under OMB Control No. 0920-0978 
(expiration date: 04/30/2022). EIPs assist in local, state, and 
national efforts to prevent, control, and monitor the public health 
impact of infectious diseases. The 10 EIP sites are: California, 
Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New 
York, Oregon and Tennessee. Up to 10 EIP sites may participate in this 
information collection, depending on resource availability during the 
pandemic.
    EIP sites that participate in this project may choose to implement 
one or both project options below:
     Option 1: Tracking of SARS-CoV-2 infections among HCP;
     Option 2: Assessing risk factors for infections among HCP 
exposed to patients with COVID-19 in healthcare facilities.
    EIP site staff will identify a convenience sample of healthcare 
facilities within the EIP catchment areas. Hospitals and nursing homes 
are prioritized for inclusion, but other types of facilities may 
participate. Each EIP site will seek to identify three or more 
facilities to participate.
    For option 1, EIP staff will obtain lists of HCP cases and contact 
information from local or state health department partners or in some 
cases from a healthcare facility's occupational health department or 
infection control program. To minimize burden on healthcare facilities, 
EIP staff will attempt to obtain HCP lists and contact information from 
health departments whenever possible.
    For option 2, EIP staff may need to work directly with a healthcare 
facility's occupational health department or infection control program 
to obtain HCP names and contact information because this option 
requires identification and data collection from HCP non-cases (HCP who 
are exposed to COVID-19 patients but who do not develop infection).
    For both options, EIP staff will collect data from HCP via 
telephone interviews or a self-administered electronic case report 
form. There are no costs to respondents other than their time to 
participate. The total estimated annualized burden hours requested for 
this collection is 2,300.

Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per     Total burden
      Type of respondents           Form name       respondents    responses per   response  (in    (in hours)
                                                                    respondent        hours)
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Healthcare Personnel..........  Assessment of              4,000               1           30/60           2,000
                                 Healthcare
                                 Personnel.
                                Exposed to or
                                 Infected with
                                 SARS-CoV-2.
Occupational Health Nurses at   No form.........              50              24           15/60             300
 Healthcare Facilities.
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    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............           2,300
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2020-10410 Filed 5-14-20; 8:45 am]
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