The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will hold a closed meeting and a public webinar on May 23 to share information about the newly developed vector-borne disease national strategy.

Vectors—biting insects and arachnids like mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and lice—can spread infections that make people sick. The VBD national strategy is a plan for how government agencies should address this risk to public health.

According to the CDC, “The full meeting will be by invitation only to ensure representation and inclusion of researchers, clinicians, public health officials, vector control officials, and patient advocates.” However, the opening and closing sessions will be livestreamed to the public, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time.

LymeDisease.org CEO Lorraine Johnson will participate in the closed meeting, as a representative of the Lyme community.

To access the meeting visit this page on the day of the event: https://www.hhs.gov/​live/​index.html.

As stated in the Federal Register, “The VBD National Strategy was developed by the Department of Health and Human Services in response to congressional direction in the Kay Hagan Tick Act, passed as part of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116-94). The primary purpose of the meeting is to increase awareness of the VBD National Strategy and inform future implementation efforts.”

SOURCE: Federal Register