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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: CRS Experts

Changes from February 4, 2020 to March 10, 2020

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2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) OutbreakCoronavirus Disease Outbreak (COVID-19): CRS Experts

Updated February 4March 10, 2020 (R46209)

On December 31, 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) was informed of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China. Illnesses have since been linked to a new strain of coronavirus, designated 2019 Novel Coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV.1 As of February 4, 2020, WHO reports that more than 20,000 people have been infected, and more than 420 have died. Most cases and deaths have been in ChinaCoronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19. The disease has spread to severalmany other countries, including the United States. As the scope of the epidemic widened in China,The situation is rapidly changing, and both WHO and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated on January 30, 2020, that its "assessment remains that the immediate risk to the American public is low."2 The situation is rapidly changing, however, and both WHO and CDC post frequent updates.3 For more information about the U.S. response to this new threat, see CRS Insight IN11212, Another Coronavirus Emerges: U.S. Domestic Response to 2019-nCoV, and CRS In Focus IF11421, Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV): Developments in China and International Responsepost frequent updates.1 CRS products on the outbreak are a.vailable on the "COVID-19" Hot Topic at https://www.crs.gov/.

The following table lists names and contact information for CRS experts on policy concerns involving the outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)COVID-19 outbreak. Policy areas identified include

  • public health, virology, and epidemiology;
  • international response activities;
  • domestic response activities; and
  • legal issues.
  Sarah A. ListerSpecialist in Public Health and Epidemiology

International Response Activities

Andres B. SchwarzenbergAnalyst in International Trade and Finance   Katarina C. O'ReganAnalyst in Foreign Policy Health: Public health, Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), funding

Health: Medical countermeasures (tests, vaccines, treatments, patent issues)

  Amanda K. SarataSpecialist in Health PolicyRyan J. RossoAnalyst in Health Care Financing   Noah D. IssermanAnalyst in Health Care Financing Phoenix VoorhiesAnalyst in Health Care Financing Immigration: Border screeningBorder Screening, Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

Legislative Issues

Issue

Name/Title

Phone

Email

Public health, virology, epidemiology

Health—General
 

Sarah A. Lister
Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Kavya Sekar
Analyst in Health Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

International response activities

Public Health—Disease and Epidemiology   Laurie A. HarrisAnalyst in Science and Technology Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

General, outbreak response

Sara M. Tharakan
Analyst in Global Health and International Development

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

General, World Health Organization (WHO), international authorities

Tiaji Salaam-Blyther
Specialist in Global Health

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

State Department

Cory R. Gill
Analyst in Foreign Affairs

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

China: general

Economics and trade

Susan V. Lawrence
Karen M. SutterSpecialist in Asian Affairs

Trade and Finance

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

International economic effects

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

China: economics and trade

Multilateral Economic Institutions: World Bank, International Monetary Fund

Karen M. Sutter
Martin A. WeissSpecialist in AsianInternational Trade and Finance

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Domestic response activities

Legal and illegal wildlife trade and zoonotic diseases Pervaze A. SheikhSpecialist in Natural Resources Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Domestic Response Activities

Sarah A. Lister
Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Kavya Sekar
Analyst in Health Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

  Laurie A. HarrisAnalyst in Science and Technology Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Agata Dabrowska
Analyst in Health Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 

Frank Gottron
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]
 

Kavya Sekar
Analyst in Health Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]
 

Edward C. Liu
Legislative Attorney

Laurie A. HarrisAnalyst in Science and Technology Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Biodefense

Frank Gottron
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Private health insurance, essential health benefits

Vanessa C. ForsbergAnalyst in Health Care Financing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Private health insurance, surprise medical billing

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Nursing home and home health agency oversight

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Audrey Singer
Specialist in Immigration Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Transportation: Sector/Aviation

Bart Elias
Specialist in Aviation Policy

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]
 

Rachel Y. Tang
Analyst in Transportation and Industry

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Legal issues

Isolation and quarantine, medical countermeasures

Edward C. Liu
Legislative Attorney

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Author Contact Information

Sarah A. Lister, Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])

Footnotes

   Bart EliasSpecialist in Aviation Policy Karen E. LynchSpecialist in Social Policy Marc LabonteSpecialist in Macroeconomic Policy Mark P. KeightleySpecialist in Economics Bruce R. LindsayAnalyst in American National Government Bruce R. LindsayAnalyst in American National Government Katelin P. IsaacsSpecialist in Income Security   Julie M. WhittakerSpecialist in Income Security Scott D. SzymenderaAnalyst in Disability Policy Employment, Labor:State Temporary Disability Insurance Will MortonAnalyst in Disability Policy Edward C. LiuLegislative Attorney Kevin J. HickeyLegislative Attorney Ben HarringtonLegislative Attorney

Author Contact Information

Matthew B. Barry, Section Research Manager ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])

Footnotes

WHO, "Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation reports," https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports; and CDC, "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Summary," https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html.

1.

World Health Organization (WHO), "Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)," https://www.who.int/westernpacific/emergencies/novel-coronavirus.
2.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), telebriefing transcript, January 30, 2020, https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/t0130-novel-coronavirus-update-telebriefing.html.
3.

WHO, "Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) situation reports," https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports; and CDC, "2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Summary," Aviation Rachel Y. TangAnalyst in Transportation and Industry

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Temporary Assistance: Short-term loans for repatriated U.S. citizens

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Economics: Economic effects

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Economics: Tax and spending options

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Economics: Small Business Administration (SBA)

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Emergency Management: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Employment, Labor: Unemployment Insurance (UI), Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Employment, Labor: Occupational safety and health, workers' compensation

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Legal Issues

Isolation and Quarantine

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Health: Vaccines, Treatments, Patent Issues

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

Immigration: Border Screening, Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

[phone number scrubbed]

[email address scrubbed]

 1.