[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 14, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51159-51160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-19754]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-21-1039]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted the information 
collection request titled Information Collection on Cause-Specific 
Absenteeism in Schools to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and approval. CDC previously published a ``Proposed Data 
Collection Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations'' notice on 
March 1, 2021 to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. 
CDC received and replied to two non-substantive comments related to the 
previous notice. This notice serves to allow an additional 30 days for 
public and affected agency comments.
    CDC will accept all comments for this proposed information 
collection project. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly 
interested in comments that:
    (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. Comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Direct 
written comments and/or suggestions regarding the items contained in 
this notice to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management 
and Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 
395-5806. Provide written comments within 30 days of notice 
publication.

Proposed Project

    Information Collection on Cause-Specific Absenteeism in Schools 
(OMB Control No. 0920-1039)--Reinstatement with Change--National Center 
for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The Information Collection on Cause-Specific Absenteeism in Schools 
aims to improve; (1) understanding of the role of influenza-like 
illness (ILI)-specific absenteeism in schools in predicting community-
wide influenza transmission, and (2) to detect within-household 
transmission of influenza in households from which a student has been 
absent from school due to ILI.
    Due to children's na[iuml]ve immunity, their susceptibility to 
infectious diseases, and congregation of children at schools, schools 
serve as amplification points for influenza transmission. Therefore, 
the collection of ILI-specific absenteeism could provide information 
needed to detect influenza outbreaks early, before infection spreads to 
a wider community. Such early detection of outbreaks will enable public 
health and school authorities to implement appropriate infection 
control and prevention measures.
    School children are frequently the main introducers of influenza to 
their families. Evaluating influenza transmission within households 
where students are absent from school because of ILI may serve as an 
additional layer of influenza surveillance, and could contribute to 
understanding of influenza transmission dynamics within the surrounding 
community. Insights gained from this information collection will be 
used to strengthen the evidence-base of CDC's Pre-Pandemic Guidance 
prior to the next pandemic.
    Since obtaining OMB approval in December 2014, 2,466 Oregon School 
District students with ILI have been enrolled in the study. Of them, 
68% were positive for at least one respiratory pathogen included in the 
PCR panel that tests for presence of 17 common respiratory viruses, and 
29% of students were found to be positive for influenza. It was 
demonstrated that absenteeism due to ILI in school children was highly 
correlated with PCR-confirmed influenza in enrolled school children, 
and medically-attended influenza in the surrounding community, 
suggesting that ILI-specific school absenteeism can be considered a 
useful tool for predicting influenza outbreaks in the surrounding 
community. For all six seasons, (2015-2021) significant, positive 
cross-correlations were achieved for absenteeism due to illness (a-I) 
and absenteeism due to ILI (a-ILI) at least 14 days in advance of MAI. 
Further observations during influenza seasons caused by other influenza 
strains are needed to make these findings more robust.
    In the currently approved information collection, information and 
biospecimens are collected only from students who were absent from 
school because of ILI. This reinstatement with change to the currently 
approved information collection adds a household transmission 
component, in which information and biospecimens will be collected from 
household members of students absent from school because of ILI. This 
aims to enhance current knowledge and understanding around

[[Page 51160]]

the introduction of influenza infection to households that have school-
age children, as well as within-household influenza transmission.
    CDC requests approval for 434 annual burden hours. There is no cost 
to respondents other than their time to participate.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Number of    Average burden
          Type of respondent                    Form name            Number of     responses per   per response
                                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parents of children/adolescents or      Screening Form..........             345               1            5/60
 adult students (>=18 yo) attending
 schools.
                                        Acute Respiratory                    300               1           15/60
                                         Infection and Influenza
                                         Surveillance Form.
                                        Household Study Form A..             300               1            5/60
Student...............................  Biospecimen collection               300               1            5/60
                                         (Day 0).
Parents of children/adolescents or      Household Study Form B               240               1            5/60
 adult students (>=18 yo) attending      (Day 7 and 14).
 schools.
Student...............................  Biospecimen collection               240               1            5/60
                                         (Day 7 and 14).
Household members.....................  Household Study Form B               720               2            5/60
                                         (Day 0, 7 and 14).
Household members.....................  Biospecimen collection               720               2            5/60
                                         (Day 0, 7 and 14).
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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. 2021-19754 Filed 9-13-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P