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Set of audits on the cost of contact tracing
The Joint Legislative Audit Committee on Friday authorized its staff to audit the Ministry of Health spending for contract research of coronavirus cases.
The executive committee of the audit committee on Thursday recommended the audit requested by Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro.
Sullivan said, “I’d like to know what the contract tracers do and what data they collect and how we use it to drive policy or do we use that at all. I’d like to see where the money is going.”
Subsequently, Department of Health spokeswoman Meg Mirivel said the job of contact tracers is to identify people who have been exposed to the virus and instruct them on how to quarantine when they could incubate. virus and could spread.
“The purpose of contact tracing is to stop the chain of transmission,” she said.
The department “collects and uses data to understand how successful we are at tracing contacts in Arkansas,” Mirivel said. “However, we use many other types of data to understand trends in Arkansas and inform [department] decisions and recommendations. “
The Arkansas Healthcare Foundation and General Dynamics have a total of 475 staff who do the work related to contact tracing calls, she said.
[CORONAVIRUS: Click here for our complete coverage » arkansasonline.com/coronavirus]
As of Thursday, General Dynamics has received $ 32.5 million and the Foundation for Medical Care has received $ 26 million for case investigation and contact tracing and related expenses such as personnel and equipment, she said.
The department has also paid the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences $ 8.1 million in the past for case investigation and contract research, she said.
– Michael R. Wickline
Resolution of a denial for the AU staff group
FAYETTEVILLE – Chiefs of staff at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville voted against a resolution calling on employees to have the choice to work remotely given the ongoing pandemic.
The resolution passed by the UA Staff Senate on Thursday was not a policy but would have expressed the group’s sentiment.
Trish Watkins, the group’s chairwoman, said if the resolution had supporters, a majority voted against.
“As long as the students are on campus, you need staff,” Watkins said. She said some staff are considered essential to campus operations.
The university, this fall semester, continued with plans to dramatically increase the number of face-to-face teaching compared to a year ago.
The Senate leadership of the university’s faculty on Wednesday approved the remote working resolution 36 to 6, according to data provided by Mary Savin, chair of the AU faculty group.
– Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
The Fayetteville library will host shooting clinics
The Covid-19 vaccination clinics will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fayetteville public library on September 21 and October 19.
Clinics will be held in the Willard and Pat Walker Community Hall of the library. The public can park in the garage using the Mountain Street entrance. The library is at 401 W Mountain St.
Anyone 12 years of age and older can be vaccinated. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. No appointment is necessary. Nurses from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences will administer the Pfizer vaccine. Spanish and Marshallese interpreters will be on hand for those who need their assistance.
No one needs to provide a Social Security number, proof of citizenship, proof of legal status or insurance to receive an injection.
In accordance with Fayetteville Ordinance 6465, masks covering the nostrils and mouth are mandatory.
Information and pre-registration are available at (479) 332-0222.
– Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Career fair focuses on Hispanic teachers
An event to educate Hispanics about the availability of education jobs will be held virtually today due to the pandemic.
The event – the DACA-Hispanic Teachers Virtual Career Fair – will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. today. Free entry. While the goal is to increase Hispanic employees in education jobs, the event is open to anyone interested in teaching as a profession.
Arkansas United hosted the event with the Department of Education to “address worsening teacher shortages” due to the pandemic and “to realize the potential of Bill 513.”
Law 513 of 2021 deals with the authorization of non-citizens to become teachers. They must meet the requirements to teach in Arkansas and the US Department of Homeland Security must have approved the person’s exemption request under the Deferred Action Policy for Childhood Arrivals. The person must have a current and valid employment authorization document issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service.
Registration is available at https://teacherjobfair.vfairs.com/en/registration.
– Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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