President-Elect Biden, County Government Vet, Addresses Naco
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COUNTY CERTIFICATION COUNTY HOSPITALS FACE COUNTIES CREATE SAFE PROGRAM HELPS LOCAL SHORTAGES AS COVID-19 HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES BUSINESSES. PG. 4 CASES SURGE . PG. 7 DURING COVID-19. PG. 9 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of COUNTIES VOL. 52, NO. 23 DECEMBER 7, 2020 Vaccine development progresses to final steps by Blaire Bryant and Sarah Gimont Pfizer and its partner Bi- oNTech became the first COVID-19 vaccine manufac- turers to apply for an emer- gency use authorization (EUA) last month from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The application came days af- ter Pfizer announced that its vaccine showed 95 percent ef- ficacy at the completion of its Phase 3 clinical trial. While Pfizer was the first to President-elect Joe Biden speaks to members of the NACo Board of Directors Dec. 4 during the group’s Fall Board Meeting. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris apply for an EUA, Moderna and Julie Chavez Rodriguez, who will direct Biden’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, also spoke to Board members. Photo by Leon Lawrence III quickly followed with an EUA application Nov. 30, after final analysis of its vaccine showed President-elect Biden, county government it is more than 94 percent ef- fective. These recent updates in vet, addresses NACo Board of Directors vaccine development present serious implications for coun- by Charlie Ban President-elect Kamala Harris the NACo Board, called to or- tional policy priorities for the ties, which will play an integral senior writer also spoke to members at the der by NACo President Gary new year and outlined the pro- role in coordinating vaccine remote meeting. Harris served Moore, judge/executive for cess and timeline for selecting distribution logistics for a pro- If faith in government is for two terms as district attor- Boone County, Ky., also ap- a South Region representative. cess that could start as early as going to be restored, it’s go- ney in San Francisco County, proved a proposal to adopt a “You are the single most this month. ing to happen at the county Calif. remote format and expanded consequential government The results from Pfizer’s level, with federal help, Pres- In addition to hearing from schedule for the 2021 Legisla- Phase 3 trial provided the data ident-elect Joe Biden told the the incoming administration, tive Conference, approved na- See NACo Board page 3 needed to seek FDA approval, NACo Board of Directors Dec. the final step in the vaccine de- 4 at its Fall Board Meeting. And velopment process. The FDA working closely with county of- grants EUAs during national ficials will be a priority, he told NACo urges Congress to act on direct emergencies, when the known them. benefits of a product outweigh In addition to Biden, a two- funding, CRF deadline extension year veteran of the New Cas- by Eryn Hurley legislation that would extend tinued job loss in the local See VACCINE page 2 tle County, Del. Council, Vice the Coronavirus Relief Fund government sector. In Octo- NACo is urging bipartisan (CRF) deadline. The letter can ber 2020, local governments agreement on a new round of be viewed here: https://www. experienced the largest de- direct flexible funding to local naco.org/letter-covid-relief. crease in employment — with governments of all sizes in the The letter highlights the non-education jobs ranging next COVID-19 response pack- devastating fiscal impact of from law enforcement officers age. the pandemic on America’s to health care practitioners, In a Dec. 2 letter to con- counties, which could total a social workers, maintenance gressional leadership, NACo combined $202 billion through crews, construction workers also highlighted the need for fiscal year 2021. These costs Congress to immediately pass are compounded by the con- See LEGISLATION page 2 2 DECEMBER 7, 2020 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of COUNTIES COUNTY NEWS Vaccine distribution could strain local budgets Contact your Senators, Reps From LEGISLATION page 1 From VACCINE page 1 future relief bill but not any leg- islative text. its known and potential risks. and administrative support, The “COVID-19 Emergency To date, the FDA has autho- remaining 354,000 below its Relief Framework” contains rized 289 COVID-19 tests and February 2020 level. In total, many county priorities includ- five treatments via EUA, how- local governments have lost 1.2 ing increased food assistance ever, Pfizer and Moderna are million jobs since the outset of and emergency funding for the first to request approval for the pandemic. childcare, re-upping the Pay- a vaccine. Over the past several months, check Protection Program, re- EUAs differ from biologics members in both chambers viving unemployment benefits license applications (BLAs), of Congress have introduced and providing $160 billion in which involve a lengthier and several proposals that would aid to state and local govern- more substantial process of appears to be the only one the vaccine. Pfizer expects to address the immediate needs ments. FDA approval that requires sig- that requires storage tempera- produce globally up to 50 mil- of local governments, includ- The framework also includes nificant evidence of both safe- tures below normal freezer or lion vaccine doses by the end ing counites, in pandemic re- an extension of the Coronavi- ty and effectiveness. Despite refrigerant levels. The storage of 2020 and up to 1.3 billion sponse activities. rus Relief Fund (CRF) Dec. 30, differences in these approval requirements will pose un- doses in 2021, while Moder- The HEROES Act (H.R. 6800), 2020 deadline, and new fund- processes, the FDA has firmly precedented technological and na is set to produce 20 million as passed by the U.S. House, ing for vaccine development, maintained that EUA approv- logistical challenges to county doses for U.S. distribution by would allocate $187.5 billion in distribution, testing and trac- als for the COVID-19 vaccine, governments and local points the end of the year and up to 1 direct, flexible relief to counties ing and the U.S. Postal Service. a two- to four-week process of dispensing sites, which will billion doses globally in 2021. of all sizes based on population. As Congress considers next on average, will be transparent need to help facilitate travel Distribution of a vaccine will HEROES Act funding could steps on these proposals, and adhere to scientific integ- and storage of vaccines. be resource-intensive for state be used both for tremendous NACo urges county leaders to rity. Additionally, the Pfizer and and local governments and is public health expenditures contact their U.S. Senators and The transparency of the EUA Moderna vaccines, like most likely to strain county budgets. and the catastrophic losses in U.S. Representatives to support approval process is critical to others in development, will Although the CDC has granted county revenue, both of which direct and flexible funding for counties’ ability to create pub- require two doses, further un- states roughly $200 million for are key county priorities in the counties of all sizes. lic confidence in a vaccine. The derscoring the need for supply, vaccine planning purposes, next round of COVID-19 relief. To facilitate this process, information provided will be staffing and technological -re given the logistical and supply Most recently, on Dec. 1, a NACo has multiple, customiz- important to the messaging sources to support these efforts needs, state health officials bipartisan, bicameral group of able advocacy resources avail- strategy employed by county in local communities. have estimated that over $8 bil- legislators unveiled its $908 bil- able at http://www.naco.org/ public health officials who are The FDA has announced that lion will be needed for success- lion coronavirus aid proposal, covid19. responsible for ensuring equi- it has scheduled meetings of its ful distribution of a vaccine. aiming to help break the grid- table vaccine uptake. Vaccines and Related Biolog- Counties are an essential lock on the latest COVID-19 Eryn Hurley is an associate leg- The Pfizer vaccine will need ical Products Advisory Com- component of any vaccine dis- negotiations. This framework islative director in NACo’s Gov- to be stored at the extremely mittee Dec. 10 to discuss the tribution strategy and, as the contains broad objectives for a ernment Affairs department. cool temperature of minus 94 request for EUA of a COVID-19 development of vaccines con- degrees Fahrenheit. While all vaccine from Pfizer and on tinues to progress, support for the vaccines in development Dec. 17 to discuss the Moder- county governments and for will need to be stored at very na vaccine. If granted EUAs, local public health will be crit- cool temperatures, including the two companies are likely ical. Moderna’s, Pfizer’s vaccine to begin rapid distribution of NACo will continue to advo- cate for additional federal aid for counties while also moni- toring, tracking and reporting on COVID-19 vaccine develop- TOP 5 MOST POPULAR CHRISTMAS TREES ment and distribution updates. For more information and re- Balsam Fir sources visit NACo’s COVID-19 Douglas Fir Vaccine Distribution Toolkit: naco.org/covid19/vaccine-dis- Fraser Fir tribution-plans. Scotch Pine Colorado Blaire Bryant is an associate Blue Spruce legislative director and Sarah Gimont is a legislative assistant Source: Farmer’s Almanac in NACo’s Government Affairs department. President Editor and ADVERTISING STAFF Published biweekly except August by: The appearance of paid advertisements in County POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Gary W. Moore Senior Writer Job Market/Classifieds National Association of Counties News in no way implies support or endorsement County News, 660 N. Capitol Street, N.W. Mary Ann Barton by the National Association of Counties for any of Publisher representative Research Foundation, Inc. STE.