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Health agencies play a key role in preparing for and responding to hurricanes and other severe weather events.

The 2020 holiday season is coinciding with a nationwide surge of COVID-19 cases. With great concern that holiday travel to see loved ones may exacerbate community spread of the virus, many states are increasing public health measures before the winter holiday season. As of November 16, 2020, 13 states and D.C. had a quarantine requirement for out-of-state travelers. The U.S. territories also have instituted travel restrictions to limit the spread of COVID-19.

2020 has been a year of unprecedented events, and the past few months have already shown that they do not exist in a vacuum. While the country continues to respond and cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, many extreme weather events have already occurred, and are additional infectious disease challenges to consider. Responding to these events in the current conditions presents unique challenges to responders and communities.

Several states and territories, as well as many local governments, are going beyond recommendations and requiring individuals to wear face coverings when they are in public settings and spaces (i.e. grocery stores, retail stores, restaurants, public and private transportation services, parks, etc.). Ongoing research and evidence suggests the relationship between mandatory face coverings and declines in daily COVID-19 growth rates is statistically significant.

ASTHO has several members from the territories and Freely Associated States—jurisdictions with unique challenges, and do not fall under the category of a state or federal district. This post is a brief look at some of the public health related legislation introduced during recent legislative sessions.

This blog shares key takeaways from the first Island Areas COVID-19 Health Equity Action Institutes.

U.S. Territories Face Healthcare Cuts if Congress Does Not Address Impending Medicaid Financing Cliff ARLINGTON, VA—Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) member Esther Muña, MHA, chief executive officer at the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Health Corporation, and other territorial health leaders from Guam, Puerto Rico, America Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands testified today before the United States House Committee on Natural Resources about the impact that cuts to Medicaid would have on U.S. territory populations. “On the heels of Super Typhoon Yutu, which devastated the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’ economy and its people, we face another crisis – our Medicaid program is unable to sustain its operations with the low statutory cap on federal contributions,” says Muña. “Low federal contributions, coupled with the exhaustion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act funds this year, creates a fiscal cliff for our Medicaid program. This fiscal cliff threatens to unweave our substantial improvements over the past ten years in the delivery of healthcare, further erodes our economy, and threatens the health and well-being of our people. “I strongly urge Congress to stabilize Medicaid financing for the territories by raising or eliminating the arbitrary cap on federal dollars to the program so I can continue my work to protect and promote the health our population,” Muña continues. Unless Congress acts, the U.S. territories’ Medicaid programs will become gravely underfunded. Federal funding for Medicaid in territories is capped and it is subject to a fixed federal matching rate. For more information about the hearing, visit the committee’s website. ASTHO Press Release Boilerplate website yes