[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 62 (Thursday, March 31, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18797-18799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-06910]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-22-0134]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) submitted the information 
collection request titled ``International Travel: Illness and Death 
Reports for Foreign Quarantine Regulations (42 CFR part 71)'' to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. CDC 
previously published a ``Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public

[[Page 18798]]

Comment and Recommendations'' notice on January 8, 2022 to obtain 
comments from the public and affected agencies. CDC received one 
comment in the information collection request. This notice serves to 
allow an additional 30 days for public and affected agency comments.
    CDC will accept all comments for this proposed information 
collection project. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly 
interested in comments that:
    (a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    (d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including, through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses; and
    (e) Assess information collection costs.
    To request additional information on the proposed project or to 
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call 
(404) 639-7570. Comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Direct 
written comments and/or suggestions regarding the items contained in 
this notice to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management 
and Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 
395-5806. Provide written comments within 30 days of notice 
publication.

Proposed Project

    International Travel: Illness and Death Reports for Foreign 
Quarantine Regulations (42 CFR part 71)--Revision--National Center for 
Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) (42 U.S.C. 264) 
authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make and 
enforce regulations necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission 
or spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the 
United States. Statute and the existing regulations governing foreign 
quarantine activities (42 CFR part 71) authorize quarantine officers 
and other personnel to inspect and undertake necessary control measures 
with respect to conveyances and persons in order to protect the 
public's health. Other inspection agencies, such as Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP), assist quarantine officers in public health screening 
of persons and make referrals to quarantine station staff when 
indicated. These practices and procedures ensure protection against the 
introduction and spread of communicable diseases into and within the 
United States with a minimum of recordkeeping and reporting procedures, 
as well as a minimum of interference with trade and travel.
    U.S. Quarantine Stations are located at 20 ports of entry that 
include both airports and land border crossings where international 
travelers arrive. The jurisdiction of each station includes air, 
maritime, and/or land-border ports of entry. Quarantine Station staff 
work in partnership with international, federal, state, and local 
agencies and organizations to fulfill their mission to reduce morbidity 
and mortality among immigrants, refugees, travelers, expatriates, and 
other globally mobile populations. This work is performed to prevent 
the introduction, transmission, and spread of communicable diseases 
from foreign countries into the United States or from one State or 
possession to another State or possession. When an illness suggestive 
of a communicable disease is reported by conveyance operators or port 
partners (e.g., Customs and Border Protection), Quarantine Officers 
respond to carry out an onsite public health assessment and collect 
data from the individual. This response may occur jointly with port 
partners. The collection of comprehensive, pertinent public health 
information during these responses enables Quarantine Officers to make 
an accurate public health assessment and identify appropriate next 
steps. For this reason, quarantine station staff need to systematically 
interview ill travelers and collect relevant health and epidemiologic 
information.
    When Quarantine Officers are present at the port of entry, they may 
often respond in person to conduct assessment of an ill traveler. 
However, there are many instances in which a Quarantine Officer may not 
be able to meet a conveyance or border crosser in person, including 
(but not limited to) the following: The conveyance arrives at a port of 
entry that does not have a Quarantine Station on site; a maritime 
vessel is still out at sea when the report comes in; Quarantine 
Officers are already responding to another illness report; or the 
illness may be reported after hours and Quarantine Officers cannot 
arrive in time to meet the conveyance or border crosser without causing 
substantial delays to travel. If Quarantine Officers are unable to 
respond in-person, they provide phone consultation to port partners 
(e.g., Emergency Medical Services (EMS), DHS/CBP, and maritime partners 
such as ship medical personnel) on the scene, to determine the public 
health importance of the illness. In both circumstances, an interview 
of the ill person(s) is required to conduct the public health 
assessment, whether in-person, by phone, or through a trained responder 
(in consultation with the Quarantine Officer).
    Data collected by Quarantine staff during the initial report of 
illness or death, and during the follow-up using the illness or death 
response forms, is entered into the Quarantine Activity Reporting 
System (QARS). QARS is a secure internet database implemented in June 
2005 to document and track the illnesses and deaths reported to 
Quarantine Stations that occurred on conveyances entering the United 
States and at land border crossings.
    Previously this information collection also included information 
collections related to regulating importations of animals and human 
remains, and animal products. CDC plans to consolidate and submit an 
information collection related to importations into a new and separate 
information collection request. CDC is also pausing approval of the Air 
Travel Illness or Death Investigation Form previously approved in this 
package, since it is currently approved under OMB Control 0920-1318.
    CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 3,595 annual burden 
hours. There are no costs to respondents other than their time.

[[Page 18799]]



                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Number of    Average burden
          Type of respondents                   Form name            Number of     responses per   per response
                                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maritime Vessel Operator..............  42 CFR 71.21(a) report               500               1           10/60
                                         of illness or death
                                         from ships--Maritime
                                         Conveyance Illness or
                                         Death Investigation
                                         Form Sections 1-4.
Maritime Vessel Operator..............  42 CFR 71.21(a) report               100               1            5/60
                                         of illness or death
                                         from ships--Maritime
                                         Conveyance Illness or
                                         Death Investigation
                                         Form Section 5.
Maritime Vessel Operator..............  Cumulative Influenza/              3,000               1            2/60
                                         Influenza-Like Illness
                                         (ILI).
Maritime Vessel Operator..............  42 CFR 71.35 Report of                 5               1           30/60
                                         death/illness during
                                         stay in port (No Form).
Pilot in command......................  42 CFR 71.21(b) Death/            79,500               1            2/60
                                         Illness reports from
                                         aircrafts (No form).
Traveler..............................  Land Travel Illness or             3,000               1           15/60
                                         Death Investigation
                                         Form.
Isolated or Quarantined individuals...  42 CFR 71.33 Report by                11               1            3/60
                                         persons in isolation or
                                         surveillance (No Form).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2022-06910 Filed 3-29-22; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P