CDC launches new center to forecast infectious diseases
David Goldman/AP
FILE - This Nov. 19, 2013 file photo shows a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention logo at the agency's federal headquarters in Atlanta. On Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, the CDC released new guidance stating that new mothers can breastfeed if they either have COVID-19 or suspect they have the virus. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
Posted at 4:31 PM, Apr 19, 2022
and last updated 2022-04-19 16:31:51-04
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched a new center that would forecast outbreaks of infectious diseases.
The agency announced Tuesday that the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics (CFA) would be like the National Weather Service but for infectious diseases.
The CDC said planning for the center began last August with the goal "to improve outbreak response using infectious disease modeling and analytics and to provide support to leaders at the federal, state, and local levels."
It plans to focus on enhancing the capability to make real-time decision-making to improve outbreak response using data, models, and analytics and to have a way to gain better access to data from state governments and hospitals.
Its initial funding of $200 million came from the 2021 coronavirus relief package.
It'll be housed at the CDC.
Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.