Wash your hands

"Wash Your Hands Often to Stay Healthy

You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before eating food
• Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage.

Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way

Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.

Follow these five steps every time.

• Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
• Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
• Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
• Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them..."
  Hand washing

New Data on Autism Spectrum Disorder in 4-Year-Old Children

"CDC scientists published a report on the prevalence and characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among 4-year-old children. This report is based on information from the Early Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. Early ADDM is a subset of the broader ADDM Network, which has been doing ASD surveillance among 8-year-old children since 2000.

In this report, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Surveillance Summaries, scientists analyzed information from the health and/or education records of preschool-aged children. Identifying children with ASD early helps families get access to services in their communities. This report provides valuable information on progress made toward early identification of children with ASD, and informs providers, particularly public schools, of upcoming service needs. The data in this report demonstrate a continued need to identify children with ASD sooner and refer them to early intervention..."
Autism

Do you think about air quality?

"Today’s the day to start thinking about air quality.

What can you do? Pay attention to the Air Quality Index (AQI)external icon. The AQI is a tool that tells you when high levels of air pollution are predicted and tells you how air pollution affects your health. Finding the AQI is easy. It’s on the Web, on many local TV weather forecasts, or you can sign up for free e-mail tools and appsexternal icon. AQI is easy to use. If the AQI predicts a “Code Orange” (unhealthy for sensitive groups) day don’t cancel your plans—use the AQI to help you plan a better time or place for them.

The AQI tells you about five major air pollutants in the U.S. that are regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency, including ozone and particle pollution. Ozone and particle pollution may harm the health of hundreds of thousands of Americans each year.

Use the Air Quality Indexexternal icon to know when to expect high levels of air pollution and how to protect yourself..."

Air Quality

Guidance about Planning for Natural Disaster Debris

"The 2019 “Planning for Natural Disaster Debris” guidance is an update to the version that EPA published in March 2008. It is designed to help all communities (including cities, counties, territories, tribes, etc.) create disaster debris management plans, which EPA strongly encourages.

The Planning for Natural Disaster Debris guidance assists communities in planning for natural disaster debris before a disaster occurs, including hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanoes, floods, wildfires and winter storms, by providing useful, relevant information that is intended to increase community preparedness and resiliency. Information is included on the following:

• Recommended components of a debris management plan,
• Suggested management options for various natural disaster debris streams,
• A collection of case studies that highlights how several communities prepared for and managed debris generated by recent natural disasters,
• Resources to consult in planning for natural disasters, and
• EPA’s recommended pre-incident planning process to help prepare communities for effective disaster debris management.."
  Natural disaster debris

Frequently Asked Questions about the Julian Assange Charges

"After spending nearly seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, Julian Assange was arrested by British police, was convicted for violating the terms of his bail in the U.K., and had an indictment against him unsealed in the United States—all in a single day. Despite the swiftness of the recent action, the charges against Assange raise a host of complex questions that are unlikely to be resolved in the near future. This Sidebar examines the international and domestic legal issues implicated in the criminal cases against Assange.

Background on Julian Assange
An Australian national, Julian Assange is the founder of the Wikileaks website, which states that it “specializes in the analysis and publication of large datasets of censored or otherwise restricted official materials.” In one of its many mass disclosures, in 2010, Wikileaks published a cache of hundreds of thousands of State Department cables, Guantanamo Bay detainee assessments, and U.S. military reports related to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. While the United States did not publicly pursue criminal charges against Assange for the disclosure at the time as it did with Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning, Assange did not avoid legal entanglements. In 2010, a Swedish prosecutor issued a European arrest warrant for Assange in connection with rape and sexual misconduct allegations unrelated to Wikileaks.

Assange, who was living in the U.K. at the time, denied the charges, but turned himself into the British police in response to the warrant. A U.K. court later released him on bail while the courts considered whether he should be extradited to Sweden. After the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom rejected Assange’s objections to extradition, Assange breached his bail conditions and entered the embassy of Ecuador in London in June 2012—where he remained until his arrest on April 11, 2019..."
Julian Assange

Three New Census Bureau Products Show Domestic Migration at Regional, State, and County Levels

"

"The South experienced a net population gain from movers coming in from other regions of the United States.

Florida received the most movers from other states.

Los Angeles County had the highest number of people moving out, but also had the highest number moving in.

These are just a few of the highlights in three recently released U.S. Census Bureau data products on migration at different geographic levels. Migration or geographic mobility refers to the movement of people from one location of residence to another.

Movers to and from the South make up the largest domestic migration flows at the regional level. Many especially large flows at the state and county levels are in the South or in the West. Some of the largest state- and county-level flows are to or from Florida, California or Arizona.

Net Migration, Flows and Mover Rates by Region

The 2018 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC) migration tables provide estimates for net migration, flows and mover rates by region. In 2018, 10.1 percent of people (about 32.4 million) in the United States moved within the past year. Historical tables and historical graphs show some of the CPS ASEC migration data over time.

• Net Migration. The South continued a pattern of net population gains from domestic migration. The region experienced statistically significant net gains from domestic migration most years since 1981.

In 2018, about 1.2 million people moved to the South from another region, while only about 714,000 moved from the South to another region. This resulted in a net gain of about 512,000 people. If movers from abroad are included, the net gain from migration to the South is about 959,000 people.

• Flows. There are 12 region-to-region migration flows and the five largest in 2018 were either to the South or out of the South.

The South drew about 412,000 people from the Northeast, 356,000 from the Midwest, and 459,000 from the West. The region lost about 317,000 to the West and 276,000 to the Midwest.

The South to Midwest flow does not differ statistically from the Midwest to South or South to West flows, and the Northeast to South, Midwest to South, West to South, and South to West flows do not differ statistically..."
Domestic migration

Vaccinate Your Baby for Best Protection

"Immunization is one of the best ways parents can protect their babies from 14 serious childhood diseases before age 2.

Immunization is one of the best ways parents can protect their babies from 14 serious childhood diseases before age 2. Vaccinate your child according to the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for safe, proven disease protection.

Diseases that vaccines prevent can be very serious – even deadly – especially for infants and young children. Vaccines work with your baby’s natural defenses to help them safely build immunity to these diseases.

Most parents today have never seen first-hand the devastating consequences that vaccine-preventable diseases have on a family or community. Some diseases that are prevented by vaccines, like pertussis (whooping cough) and chickenpox, remain common in the United States.

Protect Your Child from Serious Diseases

Measles is an example of the how serious vaccine preventable diseases can be. Cases and outbreaks still occur when the disease is brought into the United States by unvaccinated travelers (Americans or foreign visitors) who get infected when they are in other countries. Measles is still a common disease in many parts of the world. The viral disease is highly contagious and can spread easily when it reaches a community in the U.S. where groups of people are unvaccinated. Measles can be serious and can cause pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and even death. Young children are at highest risk for serious complications from measles.

Another example is whopping cough (pertussis). The U.S. has experienced an increase in whooping cough cases and outbreaks reported over the last few decades. Whooping cough can be deadly, especially for young babies who are too young to get their own vaccines. Since 2010, there have been tens of thousands of whooping cough cases reported each year nationwide, with a peak of more than 48,000 cases reported in 2012.

The Diseases Vaccines Prevent

• Diphtheria
• Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib)
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Influenza (flu)
• Measles
• Mumps
• Pertussis (Whooping cough)
• Pneumococcal disease
• Polio
• Rubella (German measles)
• Tetanus (lockjaw)
• Rotavirus
• Varicella (chickenpox).."
  Baby Vaccination

“Sanctuary” Jurisdictions: Federal, State, and Local Policies and Related Litigation

"There is no official or agreed-upon definition of what constitutes a “sanctuary” jurisdiction, and there has been debate as to whether the term applies to particular states and localities. Moreover, state and local jurisdictions have varied reasons for opting not to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts, including reasons not necessarily motivated by disagreement with federal policies, such as concern about potential civil liability or the costs associated with assisting federal efforts. But traditional sanctuary policies are often described as falling under one of three categories. First, so-called “don’t enforce” policies generally bar state or local police from assisting federal immigration authorities. Second, “don’t ask” policies generally bar certain state or local officials from inquiring into a person’s immigration status. Third, “don’t tell” policies typically restrict information sharing between state or local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.

One legal question relevant to sanctuary policies is the extent to which states, as sovereign entities, may decline to assist in federal immigration enforcement, and the degree to which the federal government can stop state measures that undermine federal objectives. The Tenth Amendment preserves the states’ broad police powers, and states have frequently enacted measures that, directly or indirectly, address aliens residing in their communities. Under the doctrine of preemption—derived from the Supremacy Clause—Congress may displace many state or local laws pertaining to immigration. But not every state or local law touching on immigration matters is necessarily preempted; the measure must interfere with, or be contrary to, federal law to be rendered unenforceable. Further, the anti-commandeering doctrine, rooted in the Constitution's allocation of powers between the federal government and the states, prohibits Congress from forcing state entities to perform regulatory functions on the federal government's behalf, including in the context of immigration. A series of Supreme Court cases inform the boundaries of preemption and the anti-commandeering doctrine, with the Court most recently opining on the issue in Murphy v. NCAA..."
Sanctuary

Reward Poster for John Wilkes Booth

"John Wilkes Booth, wanted for the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, was found hiding in a barn near Bowling Green, Virginia, by a platoon of New York Cavalry and shot on April 26, 1865.."
John Wilkes Booth

U.S. War Costs, Casualties, and Personnel Levels Since 9/11

"Seventeen years have passed since the U.S. initiated major military operations following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In the intervening period, operations first classified as Global War on Terror (GWOT) and later Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) have varied in scope. Though primarily focused on locations in Afghanistan and Iraq, they have also included territories throughout Central and Southeastern Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. This In Focus summarizes major expenditures on U.S. war operations, reconstruction assistance, troop levels and casualties, and ongoing issues for Congress. This analysis narrowly defines war/non-war costs as OCOdesignated appropriated funds associated with overseas operations as designated in DOD’s official “Cost of War (CoW)” report. Other observers may define war operations or costs more broadly (see “Issues for Congress” section).

Department of Defense War Costs
Congress has appropriated a total of $1.55 trillion in discretionary amounts to the Department of Defense (DOD) for war funding since 9/11, according to DOD reporting. (See following section for OCO non-war expenditures.) Obligations of those amounts peaked during two surges of U.S. military activity; first in Iraq in FY2008 ($140 billion), and then in Afghanistan in FY2011 ($97 billion)..."
War costs

IC3 Annual Report Released

"The statistics gathered by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for 2018 show Internet-enabled theft, fraud, and exploitation remain pervasive and were responsible for a staggering $2.7 billion in financial losses in 2018.

In its annual Internet Crime Report, the FBI reports the IC3 received 351,936 complaints in 2018—an average of more than 900 every day. The most frequently reported complaints were for non-payment/non-delivery scams, extortion, and personal data breaches. The most financially costly complaints involved business email compromise, romance or confidence fraud, and investment scams, which can include Ponzi and pyramid schemes..."
Internet crime

The Opiods Crisis and Grandparents Rasising Children

"In the wake of the opioid epidemic that was declared a public health crisis in 2017, there has been increasing concern about what happens to the children of parents with substance abuse disorders who may be unable to care for their children.

New Census Bureau research shows that grandparents may sometimes step in to care for these children.

Five states among those with the highest percentage of both the population age 30 and over raising grandchildren and opioid prescribing rates are located in the South.

The percentage of the population age 30 and over who are raising grandchildren is higher in states that have higher opioid prescribing rates, according to a new working paper, entitled “The Opioid Prescribing Rate and Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: State and County Level Analysis.”

This research uses both survey estimates from the 2012-2016 American Community Survey five-year data and administrative 2016 Opioid Prescribing Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention..."

Opioids

Digest of EEOC Law(2019)

"The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced the latest edition of its federal sector Digest of Equal Employment Opportunity Law (EEO Digest), which is now available on the EEOC's website https://www.eeoc.gov/federal/digest/index.cfm.

"Harassment in the workplace remains a persistent problem," said Carlton M. Hadden, director of the EEOC's Office of Federal Operations (OFO).  "The article provides important information to assist federal stakeholders in their efforts to fight harassment."

The EEO Digest, a quarterly publication prepared by OFO, features a wide variety of recent Commission decisions and federal court cases of interest. The Digest also includes hyperlinks so stakeholders can easily access the full decisions that have been summarized. This edition of the Digest contains summaries of noteworthy decisions issued by the EEOC, including cases involving Attorney's Fees, Class Complaints, Compensatory Damages, Complaint Processing, Dismissals and Findings on the Merits. It also incudes cases discussing Remedies, Sanctions, Settlement Agreements, Stating a Claim, Summary Judgment, and Timeliness.

The summaries are neither intended to be exhaustive or definitive as to the selected subject matter, nor are they to be given the legal weight of case law in citations. In addition to the quarterly Digest, Commission federal sector decisions are available on the EEOC's website..."

EEOC law

Prevent Mosquito Bites

"The most effective way to avoid getting sick from viruses spread by mosquitoes when at home and during travel is to prevent mosquito bites.

Mosquito bites can be more than just annoying and itchy. They can spread viruses that make you sick or, in rare cases, cause death. Although most kinds of mosquitoes are just nuisance mosquitoes, some kinds of mosquitoes in the United States and around the world spread viruses that can cause disease.

Mosquitoes bite during the day and night, live indoors and outdoors, and search for warm places as temperatures begin to drop. Some will hibernate in enclosed spaces, like garages, sheds, and under (or inside) homes to survive cold temperatures. Except for the southernmost states in North America, mosquito season starts in the summer and continues into fall.

Examples of viruses spread by mosquitoes:

• Chikungunya
• Dengue
• Eastern equine encephalitis
• Japanese encephalitis
• La Crosse encephalitis
• St. Louis encephalitis
• West Nile
• Yellow fever
• Zika

Prevention

• Use insect repellent: When used as directed, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Use an EPA-registered insect repellentExternal with one of the following active ingredients:
  • DEET
  • Picaridin
  • IR3535
  • Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
  • Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
  • 2-undecanone

• Cover up: Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
• Keep mosquitoes outside: Use air conditioning, or window and door screens. If you are not able to protect yourself from mosquitoes inside your home or hotel, sleep under a mosquito bed net..."
  Mosquitoes

Meningococcal Vaccination

"There are two types of meningococcal vaccines licensed in the United States:

• Meningococcal conjugate vaccines (MenACWY)
• Serogroup B meningococcal vaccines (MenB)

These vaccines help prevent the most common causes of meningococcal disease in the United States.

CDC Recommends Meningococcal Vaccines for Preteens, Teens, and Certain Other People

All 11 to 12 year olds should get a single dose of a MenACWY vaccine. CDC recommends a booster dose at age 16. The booster dose gives teens continued protection during the ages when they are at highest risk. If your teenager missed getting a dose, ask their clinician about getting it now.

Teens and young adults (16 through 23 year olds) may also get a MenB vaccine, preferably at 16 through 18 years old. People need multiple doses of a MenB vaccine for best protection. People must get the same brand for all doses. Talk with your teen’s clinician if you are interested in MenB vaccination.

Younger children and adults usually do not need meningococcal vaccines. However, CDC recommends one or both types of meningococcal vaccines for people with certain medical conditions, travel plans, or jobs. In addition, CDC recommends vaccination for people who are at increased risk because of a meningococcal disease outbreak. Learn more or talk to your or your child’s clinician about what is best for your specific situation..."
Meningococcal vaccination

Partnering Together to Prevent Overdose

"Learn about emerging trends and strategies to prevent opioid overdose.

The opioid overdose epidemic continues to evolve. Increasingly, deaths involve synthetic opioids (such as fentanyl) and mixing other drugs (e.g., cocaine and methamphetamine).

 Strength in Partnerships

CDC encourages collaboration to address the epidemic. CDC published the Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain in 2016 to improve the way opioids are prescribed. Clinical resources for healthcare providers and interactive online trainings can help providers implement the guideline.

CDC shares online and printable resources to keep patients, families, and communities informed. State and local partners can use CDC’s Rx Awareness Campaign which uses real life stories to help communities understand the crisis. Campaign materials are adaptable and shareable through platforms including social media, billboards, and videos.

CDC partners with and supports states through the Opioid Prevention in States (OPIS) program. This program helps states enhance surveillance, develop data-driven initiatives, and adopt evidence-based strategies. Activities include increasing naloxone availability, access to medication-assisted treatment, public health and public safety partnerships, and health system linkages to care and harm-reduction services..."
Overdose

Report On the Investigation into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election, Vols I and II March 2019.

Read the full report of  Special Counsel Robert Muller  "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in The 2016 Presidential Election. Vols.  1 and 11 March 2019."
The 448 page report is in pdf format and takes some time to load.
Mueller Report

Women in Congress, 1917-2019: Service Dates and Committee Assignments by Member, and Lists by State and Congress

"In total 365 women have been elected or appointed to Congress, 247 Democrats and 118 Republicans. These figures include six nonvoting Delegates, one each from Guam, Hawaii, the District of Columbia, and American Samoa, and two from the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as one Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico. Of these 365 women, there have been

  309 (211 Democrats, 98 Republicans) women elected only to the House of Representatives;
  40 (25 Democrats, 15 Republicans) women elected or appointed only to the Senate; and  
 16 (11 Democrats, 5 Republicans) women who have served in both houses.

A record 131 women currently serve in the 116th Congress. Of these 131 women, there are

 25 in the Senate (17 Democrats and 8 Republicans);
 102 Representatives in the House (89 Democrats and 13 Republicans); and
 4 women in the House (2 Democrats and 2 Republicans) who serve as Delegates or Resident Commissioner, representing the District of Columbia, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

This report includes brief biographical information, committee assignments, dates of service, district information, and listings by Congress and state, and (for Representatives) congressional districts of the 365 women who have been elected or appointed to Congress. It will be updated when there are relevant changes in the makeup of Congress..."
Women in Congress

The Special Counsel’s Report: What Do Current DOJ Regulations Require?

"In light of media reports that Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III is close to concluding his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, the extent to which the findings and conclusions of the Special Counsel’s investigation will be released to Congress and the public after being submitted to the Attorney General has attracted attention. The reporting requirements applicable to the Special Counsel’s investigation indicate a significant degree of deference to the Special Counsel regarding the content of his report to the Attorney General. Governing Department of Justice (DOJ) regulations also give significant deference to the Attorney General regarding release of information related to the report, although the regulations mandate that he report certain information to Congress at the conclusion of the Special Counsel’s investigation. Some Members of Congress have proposed legislation to ensure that certain information related to the Special Counsel’s investigation is made available to Congress and the public.

This Sidebar examines the current legal obligations of the Special Counsel and Attorney General to report information relating to the investigation to Congress and the public. It also provides historical examples of reports issued for other such investigations. A companion Sidebar addresses potential legal issues that may arise if Congress seeks to compel release of information about the investigation, including issues involving executive privilege and the publication of grand jury information..."
Special Counsel Report