Assessing HHS Agencies' Adherence to Health, Safety, and Operational Protocols During Repatriation and Quarantine Efforts for the COVID-19 Outbreak

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plays a lead role in preparing for and responding to public health emergencies. The current novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic highlights the need for HHS to efficiently and effectively respond to protect the nation. OIG will evaluate how HHS staff were deployed, trained, and protected when assigned tasks that could entail potential exposure to COVID-19, such as work at quarantine sites and at ports of entry. We will analyze steps taken to protect HHS staff and, in turn, the public, during pre-deployment, deployment, and post-deployment. We will also review the extent to which HHS has established mechanisms to identify and correct any vulnerabilities in deployment protocols. We plan to issue multiple work products reporting findings for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Department overall.

Announced or Revised	Agency	Title	Component	Report Number(s)	Expected Issue Date (FY)
Completed	HHS	Assessing HHS Agencies' Adherence to Health, Safety, and Operational Protocols During Repatriation and Quarantine Efforts for the COVID-19 Outbreak	Office of Evaluation and Inspections	OEI-04-20-00360	2023