An ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will assess the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ) and the federal quarantine stations strategies, policies, infrastructure, and resources dedicated to mitigating the risk of onward communicable disease transmission in the context of ongoing changes in the global environment, including large increases in international travel, threats posed by emerging infections, and the movement of animals and cargo. In its report, the committee will provide recommendations for DGMQ to better respond to infectious disease outbreaks and pandemics. The committee will:
1. Review how other countries, international and multinational organizations and corporations, militaries with overseas operations, and other relevant entities mitigate transmission risks for pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 borne by arriving international travelers.
2. Identify effective interventions and best practices that could be adopted to the U.S.-specific context recognizing challenges such as scale, data-gathering limitations, limited interoperability among partner networks, and the policy tools available to CDC.
3. Examine potential changes to CDC's infrastructure and regulatory authorities, to include:
a. How DGMQ may leverage innovative approaches to data systems and/or analytical methods to mitigate scale limitations of the current process for implementing health screening and data collection at U.S. airports, and support health departments with post-arrival follow-up of travelers.
b. Potential changes to regulations that may be required to implement recommended measures.
c. The scope of responsibilities and types of partners supported by quarantine stations (such as state and local health officials), and how best to support these partners in preventing disease transmission in communities.
d. The relative importance of 24/7 coverage at high-traffic ports of entry versus adding more quarantine stations given budget constraints.
e. Optimal types of staff needed for CDC quarantine stations and CDC headquarters.