For Immediate Release: January 19, 2021
Contact: Iman Karnabi, ikarnabi@ncsddc.org, 336-830-2493

Washington, DC – NCSD is thrilled by the economic and health care relief package unveiled by President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris. The plan is comprehensive and will go a long way towards recovering from the devastating consequences of an inadequate response to the coronavirus pandemic, restoring America’s trust in our public health system, and investing in racial justice.

As part of this package, disease intervention specialists (DIS) should be included as part of the public health jobs program, and we are calling for the inclusion of STD clinics to be used as vaccine distribution and inoculation sites.

STD programs, STD clinics, and DIS possess expertise in contact tracing, community education, and testing. The STD field will continue to serve as critical forces in ending the pandemic and we must direct resources to support them and the vital work they are doing to prevent COVID-19 and the spread of infectious diseases.

The Biden-Harris administration must continue to prioritize revitalizing the country’s overburdened public health system, and with their support, we can begin to recover and alleviate our nation’s health inequities.