Tuberculosis and COVID-19: Stop TB USA Calls for Strengthening Public Health Programs to Fight Co-Pandemics

ATLANTA, July 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- America and the world may be ill-prepared to fight concurrent global pandemics in COVID-19 and tuberculosis (TB) — both largely airborne infectious diseases and significant public health threats.  Stop TB USA, a coalition committed to TB elimination, is calling for strengthening public health programs to fight the co-pandemics. 

The coronavirus response is placing an extra burden on already underfunded TB programs as specialists are tapped to teach contact tracing — a public health tactic recognized by the CDC as essential to stopping the chain of transmission of highly infectious disease.  The practice has been a pillar of TB programs for more than a century and is crucial to pushing COVID-19 and TB curves downward.

"In Los Angeles County, our TB team supports contact tracing both with training and sometimes execution, even as TB resources are already stretched," says Julie M. Higashi, MD, PhD, President, National Tuberculosis Controllers Association.  "While it's important to support the COVID-19 response, we don't want to lose ground on TB elimination. In public health, we know first-hand that none of us are safe until all of us are safe."

Historically, TB has hurt low-income Americans, and restricted travel limits their access to TB diagnosis and treatment. Now these individuals are at increased risk for coronavirus transmission due to difficulties practicing social distancing and work in essential jobs outside their homes. There also is concern that COVID-19 could have serious medical effects on TB patients as both diseases often attack the respiratory system. 

"The Colorado Department of Public Health TB program has been cut by 4% at a time when we're already working on the coronavirus response," says Randall Reves, MD, Professor of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine.  "We are living in challenging times and it's important for all in public health to contribute.  Yet, fighting two pandemics at once is having a negative impact on TB diagnosis and treatment, and a cut in funding will only make matters worse."

TB programs across the country are reporting budget cuts.  Stop TB USA appeals to the public and lawmakers to ensure that the TB programs continue, without interruption.  Increased funding is needed to strengthen efforts to identify, treat and prevent TB, including drug resistant strains and latent TB infection.  TB is the leading infectious disease killer worldwide with 1.5 million people dying annually.

SOURCE Stop TB USA

Related Links

https://www.stoptbusa.org/