[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 47 (Friday, March 10, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15030-15031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-04968]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-23-22ET]


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 ''Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance'' 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 May 6, 2022, to obtain comments 
from the public and affected agencies. CDC received one comment 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

    Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance--New--National Center for

[[Page 15031]]

Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC), National 
Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division 
of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ), Travelers' Health Branch 
(THB) requests three-year approval for information collection from 
international air travelers that participate in the Traveler-based 
Genomic Surveillance project. Genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been 
emerging and circulating around the world throughout the COVID-19 
pandemic. Of particular concern are variants for which there is 
evidence of an increase in transmissibility, more severe disease (for 
example, increased hospitalizations or deaths), significant reduction 
in neutralization by antibodies generated during previous infection or 
vaccination, reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines, or 
diagnostic detection failures.
    CDC recommends that all arriving international travelers get tested 
before departing and 3-5 days after travel. However, this testing is 
not mandatory for all travelers. Furthermore, there are currently few 
systems that conduct disease surveillance in the population of arriving 
international travelers. Moreover, as testing and sequencing for SARS-
CoV-2 continue to decline worldwide, detecting emerging variants of 
concern (VOCs) in a timely manner is becoming more and more difficult.
    To address this gap, in September 2021, the THB, in collaboration 
with private partners, implemented a voluntary SARS-CoV-2 genomic 
surveillance program with the goal of early detection of novel VOCs. 
Surveillance for new and emerging variant strains among travelers can 
provide researchers and public health officials critical time to 
collect information about the transmissibility, virulence, and 
effectiveness of existing vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. The 
project is conducted with external partners and groups within DGMQ and 
across CDC, including the Office of Advanced Molecular Detection. The 
program began at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport in 
September 2021 and later expanded to include Newark Liberty 
International, San Francisco International, and Hartsfield-Jackson 
Atlanta International airports. Since November 2022, the program has 
expanded to Los Angeles, Seattle, and Washington Dulles. Information 
collection for this project is currently approved under a Public Health 
Emergency PRA Waiver.
    The information collection for which approval is sought is in 
accordance with CDC/DGMQ's mission to reduce morbidity and mortality 
among travelers and to prevent the introduction, transmission, or 
spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the U.S. 
This mission is supported by the Section 361 of the Public Health 
Service Act regulations found in 42 Code of Federal Regulations part 70 
and 71. Also supported under general authorities provided by Sections 
301 and 311 in the Public Health Service Act regulations.
    CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 46,250 annual burden 
hours. There is no cost to respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                   Number of      Average burden
         Type of respondents                 Form name            Number of      responses per     per response
                                                                 respondents       respondent       (in hours)
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Arriving international traveler.....  Questionnaire..........         555,000                1             6/60
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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. 2023-04968 Filed 3-9-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P