Coronavirus Disease 2019

COVID-19

NEHA is closely monitoring developments of the COVID-19 pandemic and of outbreaks in the U.S. and is working to provide our community with access to critical information


COVID-19 EH Workforce Impact Assessment Reports

During the first two waves of the pandemic, NEHA released two COVID-19 EH workforce assessment reports highlighting key findings and messages regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the nation’s environmental public health workforce, which comprises the second largest component of the public health workforce, directly after nursing. To access these reports and learn more about the essential roles, accomplishments, and challenges facing state, Tribal, local, and territorial environmental public programs visit our COVID-19 reports page.

Coronavirus / COVID-19

Across the U.S. and around the globe, environmental public health professionals continue to serve on the frontlines of the ongoing pandemic response and recovery while simultaneously striving to engage in the day-to-day preventive environmental public health services delivery. NEHA's commitment is unwavering as we seek to understand the challenges and needs of the EH workforce and to support them to effectively and safely do their jobs.

“Environmental health professionals, like Atlas of Greek mythology, are asked daily to hoist many burdens upon their shoulders.”

We continue to mediate society’s evolution to a new normal. This period in the recent history of the nation’s public health system has pushed us—environmental public health professionals—to bridge many critical gaps across the vast intersection of diverse stakeholders coordinating and managing the multi-sectoral COVID-19 disaster response and recovery. The stress of this burden has been intense and relentless. The myriad of issues and changes has been emotional, exhausting, and unprecedented—as environmental public health practitioners were compelled to take on greatly expanded roles and functions amidst an onslaught of endless public health services delivery needs. As a result, the EH workforce has been stretched thin and tight like saranwrap.

Previously in early 2020, NEHA’s CEO, Dr. David T. Dyjack, penned, “I can visualize the bend in the road with the warning sign blinking,” as he contemplated what the pandemic would mean for environmental health practitioners. Today as the EH workforce continues to face a myriad of challenges related to the pandemic while simultaneously facing new emerging and reemerging threats and crises, many of which are related to the existential crises of emanating hazards associated with climate change, NEHA’s commitment to advocate for and deliver ongoing workforce support remains.


Resource Highlights

Recent Blog Posts

Global EH Heroes in the time of COVID-19: Stephen Musarapasi

Global EH Heroes in the time of COVID-19: Stephen Musarapasi 900 900 NEHA COVID-19

NEHA has partnered with the International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH) to bring you stories of environmental health professionals responding to COVID-19 across the globe. In the first of this…

EH Heroes in the time of COVID-19: M.L. Tanner

EH Heroes in the time of COVID-19: M.L. Tanner 778 778 NEHA COVID-19

NEHA member, M.L. Tanner is a Program Coordinator for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Tanner works in the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program coordinating case management…

Public and Environmental Health Professionals Remain at the Forefront of the COVID-19 Crises

Public and Environmental Health Professionals Remain at the Forefront of the COVID-19 Crises 800 461 NEHA COVID-19

NEHA Issues Position Statement on COVID-19 Release Date: Friday, May 8, 2020 The National Environmental Health Association encourages state, local, and federal leaders to follow the guidance and direction of…

EH Heroes in the time of COVID-19: Tom Butts

EH Heroes in the time of COVID-19: Tom Butts 200 250 NEHA COVID-19

Thomas Butts, MSc, REHS has been a NEHA member for 36 years. He currently works on environmental health programs as a consultant and as an hourly employee for two local…

COVID-19 Safety Warning from NEHA

Third parties claiming to be affiliated with NEHA have contacted a number of individuals regarding COVID-19 home inspections and have requested personal information. These parties are NOT affiliated with NEHA. Furthermore, NEHA will never ask for personal information over the phone in that manner. As such, please disregard these requests. Also, if you are willing, please share the incidences with us at staff@neha.org.

For more information on COVID-19 Safety Tips and Warnings, please visit the Federal Communications Commission website.