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Rural Health Information Hub

COVID-19 – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on COVID-19.

COVID-19 Mortality by Race and Ethnicity in US Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Areas, March 2020 to February 2022
Reviews COVID-19 mortality data for 977,018 adults between March 2020 and February 2022 to examine racial and ethnic disparities between various waves of the pandemic, particularly as it relates to rural or urban classification. Suggests policy changes to reduce mortality.
Author(s): Dielle J. Lundberg, Elizabeth Wrigley-Field, Ahyoung Cho, Rafeya Raquib, Elaine O. Nsoesie, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(5)
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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Guidance for the Expiration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE)
Outlines the emergency waivers related to the minimum health and safety requirements for long-term care and acute continuing care providers that are expiring at the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Describes the timelines for certain regulatory requirements issued during the PHE through interim final rules.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Frequently Asked Questions: CMS Waivers, Flexibilities, and the End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Provides information related to COVID-19 flexibilities after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) that expired May 11, 2023. Addresses issues impacting Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and private insurance including concerns related to COVID-19 vaccines and treatment, telehealth, and more. Includes information about which changes have ended, as well as end dates for those that extend after the PHE.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Disparities in Implementing COVID-19 Prevention Strategies in Public Schools, United States, 2021–22 School Year
Reports on COVID-19 prevention strategies early in the 2021-22 school year and describes disparities in implementing strategies by school characteristics. Appendix includes data on specific strategies related to mask wearing and ventilation for city, suburban, town, and rural schools.
Additional links: Appendix
Author(s): Sanjana Pampati, Catherine N. Rasberry, Zach Timpe, et al.
Citation: Emerging Infectious Diseases, 29(5), 937-944
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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New and Expanded Flexibilities for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
Provides an overview of changes to Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) requirements and payment policies in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and subsequent changes at the end of the PHE on May 11, 2023. Includes information on telehealth flexibilities that have continued through 2024.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Implications of COVID-19 on Safety-net Oral Health Services
Examines COVID-19 pandemic impacts on Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and other safety-net dental providers. Describes the challenges safety-net providers face in delivering care to underserved and rural communities, and examines impacts on safety-net providers offering oral health services through mobile programs. Features statistics on FQHCs offering oral health services, with breakdowns by region.
Author(s): Margaret Langelier, Simona Surdu, Theekshana Fernando, Sai Sindhura Gundavarapu, Alex Romero
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Oral Health Workforce Research Center
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Best Practices for COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing
Summarizes findings of an environmental scan of testing and vaccination policies and programs serving people who are medically or socially at disproportionate risk for COVID-19 and related adverse outcomes. Identifies populations at disproportionate risk, including rural residents, and their barriers to COVID-19 testing, COVID-19 vaccination, and routine vaccination. Describes programs that aim to overcome these barriers and increase access to testing and vaccination services. Discuss the implications of these programs' strategies and approaches for future pandemics and public health crises.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica
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Location, Age, and Race Matter: A Path Model of Emotional Distress in the U.S. During COVID-19
Examines factors that contributed to emotional distress during COVID-19 such as rurality, race, demographics, substance use, and more. Provides 2020 survey results from 947 U.S. adults and discusses mental health in vulnerable populations.
Author(s): Viktor Clark, Hannah Ming, Sunny Jung Kim
Citation: BMC Public Health, 23, 762
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
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Ventilation Improvements Among K–12 Public School Districts — United States, August–December 2022
Reports on K-12 public school ventilation improvements to prevent COVID-19 transmission, including replacing or upgrading ventilation systems, installing filtration systems, installing ultraviolet germicidal irradiation devices, and improving airflow. Includes data for city, suburb, town, and rural locations.
Author(s): Miguella Mark-Carew, Gloria Kang, Sanjana Pampati, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 72(14), 372-376
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Telehealth and the Expiration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, with Kathy Wibberly
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Kathy Wibberly, Director of the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center. Discusses the impact of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on rural access to telehealth services and adjustments patients and providers can anticipate as the PHE comes to an end May 11, 2023.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:


Last Updated: 5/2/2024