COVID-19 Resources for North Carolina Life Science Companies and Researchers

Eva Garland Consulting and Grant Engine are both compiling COVID-19 grant funding opportunities; see their pages to sign up for funding alerts.

• Funding Opportunities Specific to COVID-19 (NIH)
  The NIH is deeply concerned for the health and safety of people involved in NIH research, and about the effects on the biomedical enterprise in the areas affected by the HHS declared public health emergency for COVID-19. Due to the potential exceptional impact, the NIH wants to assure its recipient community that NIH will be doing its part to help you continue your research.

  Information for NIH applicants and funding recipients is available here.

• Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative (NIH)
  Deadline: Rolling

  The National Institutes of Health announced a new initiative aimed at speeding innovation, development and commercialization of COVID-19 testing technologies, a pivotal component needed to return to normal during this unprecedented global pandemic. With a $1.5 billion investment from federal stimulus funding, the newly launched Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative will infuse funding into early innovative technologies to speed development of rapid and widely accessible COVID-19 testing.

  As part of this initiative, NIH is urging all scientists and inventors with a rapid testing technology to compete in a national COVID-19 testing challenge for a share of up to $500 million over all phases of development. The technologies will be put through a highly competitive, rapid three-phase selection process to identify the best candidates for at-home or point-of-care tests for COVID-19.

  See RADx FAQs here.

• 2019 Novel Coronavirus Medical Countermeasure Partnership Opportunities (BARDA)
  BARDA is working with its partners to identify promising medical countermeasures and technologies to combat the 2019 novel coronavirus. There are three ways your company or organization can partner with BARDA to fight the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak.

  BARDA has also created the CoronaWatch Portal seeking information and meeting requests from stakeholders on available medical countermeasures in development. See BARDA's COVID-19 Medical Countermeasure portfolio here.

• Letter on the COVID-19 (NSF)
  NSF encourages the research community to respond to this challenge through existing funding opportunities. In addition, they NSF invites researchers to use the Rapid Response Research (RAPID) funding mechanism, which allows NSF to receive and review proposals having a severe urgency with regard to availability of or access to data, facilities or specialized equipment as well as quick-response research on natural or anthropogenic disasters and similar unanticipated events.

  See other NSF Guidance here.

• SBIR/STTR Open Topics Addressing COVID-19 
  SBIR/STTR awards relevant to the pandemic can be searched from this link. 

• Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Funding Opportunities (PCORI)
  Deadline: Rolling

  The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute was created to improve the evidence about what works in health care to better inform real, specific choices faced by patients, clinicians, healthcare administrators and others in the healthcare communities. All open funding opportunities, including COVID-19 related opportunities, are listed here.

• COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator (Gates Foundation)
  The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator is a collaborative effort to research, develop and bring effective treatments to market quickly and accessibly. The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator is prioritizing proposals focused on therapeutics and select accompanying diagnostics. Solutions should have suitability for low-resource settings, with global access through prompt launch and affordability in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) with a focus on vulnerable populations.

• Mayo Clinic COVID-19 Webinar Series
  Host: Mayo Clinic
  Ongoing

  This series of one-hour webinars features Mayo Clinic experts discussing the latest information on COVID-19. 

  Register

• Clinical Trials in the Era of COVID-19 Weekly Webinar Series
  Host: WCG Clinical
  Ongoing

  The continuing spread of COVID-19 has the industry’s undivided attention, as clinical trial professionals seek the latest perspective on best practices during this unprecedented time. Clinical researchers with ongoing or upcoming clinical trials are working to understand, and ameliorate the impact of this pandemic on studies to keep them on track. Join thousands of peers in these weekly online panels, designed to support healthcare researchers via the industry’s leading voices and perspectives. The panelists share expertise in real-time to inform our collective efforts to discover effective therapies, and minimize the disruption to ongoing and upcoming clinical trials.

  Register

• North Carolina Companies Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic
  This list from the NCBiotech Company Directory represents the North Carolina life sciences companies that are contributing to the fight against COVID-19, primarily through the development or manufacturing of diagnostics, therapeutics or vaccines. For more information about how these companies are responding, please see the North Carolina COVID-19 News section at the bottom of this resource guide.

• Duke

  Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy COVID-19 Response
  Interdisciplinary faculty and researchers from Duke University, Duke Health System and other leading health organizations are collaborating on vital, evidence-based health policy strategies needed now to address the pandemic.

• UNC Chapel Hill

  COVID-19 Research at UNC-Chapel Hill
  To illustrate the model and expertise Carolina is mobilizing toward COVID-19 and future pandemics, the Campaign for Carolina is highlighting Carolina research projects across five key areas: testing/diagnostics, treatment, prevention/preparation, clinical care research, outcomes and impact research. This list of COVID-19 research is frequently updated with new research projects from schools, units, centers and institutes from across campus.

  UNC COVID-19 Dashboard
  The Coronavirus Dashboard from UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health provides relevant local COVID-19 research to all North Carolinians. Site also includes Coronavirus in NC by the Numbers, including an interactive visualization of coronavirus cases in NC.

  UNC Sheps Center for Health Services Research - COVID-19 Projects
  Sheps researchers are part of an independent, informal collaborative of data scientists, health services and policy researchers, and epidemiologists who are modeling the impact of COVID-19 on North Carolina.

  UNC Research COVID-19 Coverage
  UNC Research is covering the university's research contributions.

• North Carolina State University

  NC State Experts on COVID-19
  Experts across NC State's campus are available to speak with media about the wide-ranging effects of COVID-19 on our world.

  NC State University Genetic Engineering and Society Center Resources
  Find experts, presentations, and perspectives on the societal and policy dimensions of COVID, biotechnological aspects of testing and vaccination, and food and agricultural policy.

• Wake Forest

  Wake Forest School of Medicine COVID-19 Research Projects
  Active IRB-approved COVID-19 projects in the Wake Forest School of Medicine network.

• RTI International COVID-19 Research + Response
  Featuring the latest updates about RTI's COVID-19 research, response, and experts available for interview.

• University of North Carolina Systemwide Contributions
  Collectively, the University of North Carolina institutions serve North Carolina through instruction, research, and service. The UNC System’s contributions to the state’s efforts to combat this pandemic underscore the long-term value of supporting this mission.

Resources and Initiatives

• Pipeline Trackers

  • BIO COVID-19 Therapeutic Development Tracker
    BIO’s Industry Analysis Team has reviewed and annotated pipeline data from BioCentury and Biomedtracker to create an interactive view of the Covid-19 pipeline, updated every Monday.
     
  • Milken Institute COVID-19 Treatment and Vaccine Pipeline
    The Milken Institute is tracking the development of potential treatments and vaccines in development for COVID-19.

• Federal and Global Initiatives and Response

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Drug Information from the FDA
    The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) is engaged in numerous activities to protect and promote public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, ranging from the acceleration of development for treatments for COVID-19, maintaining and securing drug supply chains, providing guidance to manufacturers, advising developers on how to handle clinical trial issues, and keeping the public informed. Descriptions of efforts led by CDER are linked. 
     
  • Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program (CTAP)
    The FDA has created a special emergency program for possible therapies, the Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program (CTAP). It uses every available method to move new treatments to patients as quickly as possible, while at the same time finding out whether they are helpful or harmful. We continue to support clinical trials that are testing new treatments for COVID so that we gain valuable knowledge about their safety and effectiveness.
     
  • Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) partnership
    The National Institutes of Health and the Foundation for the NIH (FNIH) are bringing together more than a dozen leading biopharmaceutical companies, the Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency to develop an international strategy for a coordinated research response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
     
  • Operation Warp Speed
    The Trump administration is prioritizing 14 potential vaccine candidates to undergo further testing, with the goal of having as many as 300 million doses by early 2021.
     
  • Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator
    The Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, is a new, groundbreaking global collaboration to accelerate development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. The Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator brings together governments, scientists, businesses, civil society, and philanthropists and global health organizations (the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CEPI, FIND, Gavi, The Global Fund, Unitaid, Wellcome, the WHO, the World Bank and Global Financing Facility) to speed up an end to the pandemic by supporting the development and equitable distribution of the tests, treatments and vaccines.
     
  • COVID Collaborative
    The COVID Collaborative is bringing together many of the nation’s leading experts in public health, education, and the economy together with associations representing state and local leaders and vulnerable communities to take unified action to stop the spread, crush the curve, and safely and sustainably reopen schools, businesses, and other places where Americans gather.

    As part of this effort, the COVID Collaborative is working in partnership with the National Governors Association to develop and support implementation of consensus recommendations on the key elements of a COVID-19 response.

• COVID-19 Research Tools and Datasets

  • Open-Access Data and Computational Resources to Address COVID-19 (NIH)
    COVID-19 open-access data and computational resources are being provided by federal agencies, including NIH, public consortia, and private entities. These resources are freely available to researchers, and this page will be updated as more information becomes available.

  • COVID-19 Research Database
    The COVID-19 research database is a collection of data sets made freely available to public health and policy researchers to extract insights for combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. The dataset is a pro-bono, cross-industry collaboration. Until now, researchers and policy-makers seeking to answer questions about the pandemic could only do research on fragmented data sets (such as the data set from a particular hospital), or to conduct long, prospective clinical trials, which makes it difficult to rapidly answer questions about the epidemiology and treatment of the disease. The COVID-19 research database is a consortium of institutions pooling their de-identified and limited pandemic-related data to allow researchers to more rapidly conduct studies at a large scale.

  • Pubic Health Genomics and Precision Health COVID-19 Knowledge Base (CDC)
    COVID-19 GPH is an online, continuously updated, searchable database of published scientific literature, CDC and NIH resources, and other materials that captures emerging discoveries and applications of genomics, molecular and other precision medicine and precision public health tools in the investigation and control of COVID-19. Contents include PubMed records via an automated pubmed search algorithm, preprint records from NIH iCite, the relevant information from many media sources picked by experts, and linkages to contents from our curated PHGKB databases.

  • Human Data Science Research Collaborative (IQVIA)
    To accelerate COVID-19 related learning, IQVIA is waiving data access fees for academic researchers to two IQVIA data technology platforms, E360™ and SMART, through October 2020. The intent of this research collaborative is to study the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare systems. Any research directly related to the clinical characteristics of COVID-19, such as treatment options, transmission rates, and/or outcomes, is considered out of scope. Note the number of access opportunities are limited.

  • Coronavirus Research Hub (Elsevier)
    Researchers and data scientists focused on Coronavirus vaccine, drug, clinical and other related research are able to freely access some Elsevier solutions.

  • Coronavirus Method Development Community (Protocols.io)
    Open platform for sharing research methods. This includes the sequencing and detection protocols for coronavirus (for research only, and not for clinical diagnosis). All protocols are fully accessible, citable, and editable. 

  • COVID-19 Open Research Dataset Challenge (CORD-19) (Kaggle)
    The CORD-19 dataset represents the most extensive machine-readable coronavirus literature collection available for data mining to date. This allows the worldwide AI research community the opportunity to apply text and data mining approaches to find answers to questions within, and connect insights across, this content in support of the ongoing COVID-19 response efforts worldwide. 

  • ICODA Workbench
    The International COVID-19 Data Alliance (ICODA) exists to enable and accelerate responsible research.  At its heart is the “Workbench” – a new data platform, provided by our alliance partner Aridhia Informatics that allows researchers to discover, access and analyse global multi-dimensional datasets while respecting confidentiality and privacy. The platform will consolidate data and metadata from federated repositories to allow teams to work collectively on a focused research question. Access to the Workbench is provided free of charge once researchers have been accredited and project proposals approved.

  • CAS COVID-19 Resources (CAS)
    CAS is making a wide range of resources and expertise openly available to support this fight. Resources include:
    • COVID-19 Antiviral Candidate Dataset
    • COVID-19 Protein Target Thesaurus
    • Assay Techniques and test Development for COVID-19 Diagnosis
    • COVID-19 Antiviral Candidate SAR Dataset
    • COVID-19 Bioindicator Explorer
      
       
  • COVID-19 and Coronavirus Plasmids (Addgene)
    Addgene is a non-profit plasmid repository that facilitates the exchange of genetic material between laboratories. On this page, Addgene is compiling plasmids  containing SARS-CoV-2 sequences and other resources available to industry, academics and nonprofits.
     
  • Disqover COVID-19 (Ontoforce)
    Ontoforce is making available a free COVID-19 dashboard that brings together patents, publications and clinical studies. Linked to these resources are related diseases and health conditions; genes and phenotypes; drugs, chemicals and active substances. Log in is required.

• AdvaMed National COVID Testing Supply Registry
  To further assist state and federal governments in their pandemic responses, AdvaMed has created a comprehensive, national COVID-19 diagnostic supply registry which compiles information from diagnostic companies along with publicly available data on daily tests performed to create a centralized and standardized COVID-19 diagnostic supply registry. AdvaMed’s registry aims to help streamline communications and data sharing between diagnostic companies and federal and state governments as well as standardize test supply reporting. It also facilitates collaboration with laboratories and other public health stakeholders to optimize access to all platforms of COVID-19 testing so that any potential shortages are identified and addressed quickly.

• CEPI Survey of global COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity

  Between April 3 and June 19, CEPI – in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Clinton Health Access Initiative, and PATH – undertook a broad, worldwide, survey of vaccine manufacturers to understand capabilities, capacities and interest in responding to the pandemic. We aimed to assess potential bottlenecks in the vaccine manufacturing and to work out what global capacity might be available to produce billions of doses of vaccine.

  Key findings available here, or see full survey results here.

   

• COVID Vaccine Facts

  COVID Vaccine Facts is a subsidiary website of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). The content on this website serves as an educational tool to link people to third-party scientific and evidenced-based information related to the vaccine development process, along with the safety, efficacy, availability, and affordability of Covid-19 vaccines.

• The Road to a Vaccine
  Airs at 12:00 P.M. on jnj.com, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
  This new eight-episode educational video series sponsored by Johnson & Johnson will examine the latest efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and break down the complex process of developing a vaccine. Each week, host Lisa Ling will talk to leading scientists and researchers, healthcare workers on the front lines and public health experts around the world working collaboratively to bring an end to the deadly pandemic.

• Enroll in Clinical Trials and Studies

  • COVID-19 Prevention Network (COVPN)
    COVPN is a unified clinical trial network with the mission to develop and conduct studies to ensure rapid and thorough evaluation of US government-sponsored COVID-19 vaccines and monoclonal antibodies for the prevention of COVID-19 disease. Volunteer here to  take part in COVID-19 prevention clinical trials.
     
  • Clinicaltrials.gov
    Search all clinical studies related to COVID-19.
     
  • Covance (LabCorp) COVID-19 Clinical Trial Connect
    If you have been exposed to or diagnosed with COVID-19, this online screening survey can match you to numerous different COVID-19 research studies or clinical trials near you. Whether it is helping to understand the body’s immune response, taking a short survey of your symptoms, or testing a new vaccine, you can help advance science

  Some local efforts enrolling people in COVID-19 studies include:

  • UNC School of Medicine - Join a Clinical Research Study
    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is actively working to find safe and effective ways to prevent and treat COVID-19. From this page, you're able to access the most updated information regarding clinical research studies that currently open to enrollment.
     
  • UNC Research for Me
    Hosted by the NC TraCS Institute, Research for Me’s COVID-19 projects page lists study opportunities for potential participants. Those who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, are frontline healthcare workers, or wish to help researchers better understand the pandemic’s impact can find a meaningful ways to participate in research happening at UNC and UNC Health.
     
  • Duke COVIDENTIFY
    Duke University doctors and scientists are investigating whether the data from your smartphone and smartwatch can help determine whether or not you have a COVID-19 infection, and how severe the infection is expected to get. You will need to answer two simple questions each day for up to 12 months.
     
  • Duke PROTECT-EHC
    Dr. Anthony Sung and Dr. Paul Wischmeyer at Duke University are looking for people to join their PROTECT-EHC study. Exposed household contacts (EHC) are people who live with someone with COVID-19  and therefore have an increased chance of contracting the virus. We are doing this study is to see if taking a probiotic for 28 days can change the microbiome, or bacteria in the gut and nose. Participation could provide direct benefit as changing the microbiome with our probiotic may reduce symptomatic COVID-19 by 30-50%. 

• Convalescent Plasma Donation

  Learn more about how convalescent plasma is being used at covidplasma.org, maintained by the American Association of Blood Banks.

  • UNC COVID-19 Plasma Donation
    Have you been diagnosed with COVID-19 and interested in potentially helping others? You may be eligible to donate plasma. We are partnering with the UNC Blood Donation Center in Chapel Hill, NC to schedule plasma collections for eligible donors.
     
  • Convalescent Plasma (Grifols)
    For individuals who have recovered from COVID-19, donating plasma is a great way to make a difference during this exceptional time.   For information about plasma donation opportunities through Grifols in North Carolina, please visit www.grifolsplasma.com/en/endcv19  or call 1-866-END-CV19. Convalescent plasma from donors will be manufactured into a hyper-immune therapy specific to COVID-19 at Grifols’ manufacturing facility in Clayton, NC

• BIO Coronavirus Hub

  The BIO Coronavirus Hub is the primary life scicence-focused resource to connect companies that have relevant supplies, capacities, and resources to share, with those companies, researchers, or healthcare providers that need them. The new hub will enable users to post requests for urgently needed items, as well as to post the availability of supplies and capacity. Connections for medical supplies will be facilitated in partnership with Healthcare Ready to ensure an organized and optimized allocation of items in need, and thus will not be publicly available or searchable.

• Med Device Network (AdvaMed)
  The Med Device Network connects organizations to help quickly scale production and distribution of complex medical devices currently in short supply (e.g. ventilators, dialysis machines, pulse oximeters, etc.)

• PPE and Supply Donations
  The following health care systems have issued calls for supply donations:

  • UNC Health
  • Duke Health

  HealthConnect South is building a directory of healthcare entities requesting donations of supplies, equipment, staff and money.

• Critical Supply Production Database
  IES/NCMEP is building a database of companies with certain capabilities during this critical time. There are over 20 critical supplies needed to respond to COVID-19. If your company currently does or can quickly begin production, please fill out the information below. NCMEP will share this information with federal and state stakeholders such as the US Department of Commerce and NCDPS Emergency Management agency to help meet these needs. Furthermore, your secured information provides us with crucial analytical data to dynamically generate topics, related companies, and resources. 

• Duke Health COVID-19 Response Funds
  Donate to Duke's COVID-10 Response funds for research support and care support. 
   

• UNC COVID-19 Research Accelerator Fund
  Your contribution to the UNC COVID-19 Research Accelerator Fund provides immediate, flexible support to Carolina's critical research teams focused on COVID-19 testing, treatment and prevention.

• COVID-19 National Scientist Volunteer Form
  This is a database of scientists who are able to volunteer time, expertise, equipment, and consumables to help government entities, non-profits, universities and local organizations respond to the COVID-19 crisis. 

• MBAs Fight COVID-19
  This initiative from Harvard Business School connects MBA students across the country who can offer their skills to organizations in the public, private and social sectors.

Many journals and publishers are committing to making coronavirus and COVID-19 research articles free to access.

• COVID-19 Science Updates (CDC)
  To help inform CDC’s COVID-19 Response, as well as to help CDC staff stay up to date on the latest COVID-19 research, the Response’s Office of the Chief Medical Officer has collaborated with the CDC Office of Library Science to create a series called COVID-19 Science Update. This series, the first of its kind for a CDC emergency response, provides brief summaries of new COVID-19-related studies on many topics, including epidemiology, clinical treatment and management, laboratory science, and modeling. These summaries are released every Tuesday and Friday.

• LitCovid from the National Library of Medicine
  LitCovid is a curated literature hub for tracking up-to-date scientific information about the 2019 novel Coronavirus. It is the most comprehensive resource on the subject, providing a central access to 842 (and growing) peer-review articles.

• JAMA Coronavirus Disease 2019

• Elsevier Novel Coronavirus Information Center

• Springer Nature SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19

• The Lancet COVID-19 Resource Centre

• New England Journal of Medicine Coronavirus

• Taylor & Francis COVID-19 Content

• Science (AAAS) Coronavirus: Research, Commentary and News

• CDC Public Health Genomics and Precision Health Knowledge Base: Coronavirus Disease Portal

• Disqover COVID-19
  Ontoforce is making available a free COVID-19 dashboard that brings together patents, publications and clinical studies. Linked to these resources are related diseases and health conditions; genes and phenotypes; drugs, chemicals and active substances. Log in is required.

• Coronavirus Resources in the Carolina Digital Repository
  Contains research, dissertations and papers from the University of North Carolina

• Meta COVID-19 Feed
  Meta, a research discovery tool that uses machine learning to help researchers keep pace with discoveries through targeted feeds of preprints and papers. Researchers can sign up for a free Meta account to see the full COVID-19 feed.

• COVID-19 Global Literature on coronavirus disease (WHO)
  WHO is gathering the latest international multilingual scientific findings and knowledge on COVID-19. The global literature cited in the WHO COVID-19 database is updated daily (Monday through Friday) from searches of bibliographic databases, hand searching, and the addition of other expert-referred scientific articles.

• COVID-19 North Carolina Dashboard (NCDHHS)

  North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS)’s dashboard  provides an overview on the metrics and capacities that the state is following.

  COVID-19 metrics calculated include daily cases and tests, hospitalizations, and county/zip code-level case mapping. Other plots examine contact tracing, protective equipment (PPE), COVID-like illnesses, and outbreaks in congregate living settings. The data is based on COVID-19 case results submitted by North Carolina clinics and laboratories to NCDHHS.

• UNC COVID-19 Dashboard

  The Coronavirus Dashboard from UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health provides relevant local COVID-19 research to all North Carolinians. Site also includes Coronavirus in NC by the Numbers, including an interactive visualization of coronavirus cases in NC.

• COVID-19 Cases, Data and Surveillance (CDC)

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosts summary information and an Interactive Tracker related to COVID in the United States.

  Case, hospitalization, and death data is presented, as well as total numbers reported among healthcare personnel. Data is reported by US states to the CDC.

  Death statistics based on death certificates, which are more accurate but take longer to report, are tracked on the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics page.

• Novel Coronavirus Situation (WHO)

  Use this for global case data.

  The World Health Organization presents official daily COVID case and death counts comparatively across global regions and countries, showing daily, weekly, and cumulative counts. The counts are reported by countries to WHO. Uniquely, WHO includes a lens of viewing countries according to their self-reported transmission classification (for instance, clusters of cases or larger outbreaks of cases).

• Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases (Johns Hopkins)

  Use this to see total cases, in comparison to other countries.

  Led by Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, this tracker shows total confirmed cases, broken down by country, state, and, for the US, the county. It also tracks the total deaths by country, and for the US, the total tests, hospitalizations, deaths per state. The data comes from US state and county health departments, non-US government health departments, and other data sources such as the World Health Organization and the CDC. The dashboard reports in real time using an automated update, and has thus been able to capture new cases in global countries earlier than other data sources

• COVID-19 Projections (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation)

  Use for impact forecasting.

  The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s COVID-19 tracker shows how different policy decisions on social distancing mandates and mask use could affect the trajectory of the pandemic within select countries and states. It aggregates data from a variety of sources, including Johns Hopkins University, World Health Organization, and hospital networks.

• COVID-19 Data Insights Tool (RTI)

  RTI’s COVID-19 Data Insights tool introduces a measure of estimated acquired immunity, providing basic insights into the level of immunity resulting from reported COVID-19 infections to date.

• COVID-19 Data Hub (US Census Bureau)

  Use for business and demographic data in the US.

  The COVID-19 data hub provides demographic and economic information from existing surveys to reveal state and county risk factors. It also posts interactive results from weekly surveys about small business conditions and household experiences during COVID-19, as well as weekly updates about the number of business applications at national, regional, and state levels.

• COVID-19/Coronavirus Facts and Figures (Statista)

  Use for charts related to COVID-19, but not all information is available using a free account.

  The Statista research team has compiled statistics, surveys, and forecast plots and dossiers using data from a variety of sources and their specified time periods. Examples of plots include number of confirmed cases by state, hospitalizations, public awareness, and economic impact. External links in the plots take users to the data source used. Updates to individual statistics plots can be retrieved through an optional notification alert on the plot.

• The COVID Tracking Project (The Atlantic)

  Use to see total cases, in comparison to other US states.

  The COVID Tracking Project, launched by volunteers from The Atlantic, publishes data visualizations about cases, tests, hospitalizations and patient outcomes (recovered/death), in addition to racial data to show how COVID-19 impacts vulnerable communities. It reports only at the state level from public health authorities, in order to avoid inconsistently providing data from non-reporting counties. Rather than focusing on positive cases, the COVID Tracking Project collects complete testing data (positive and negative tests) because this provides context to the cases.

• Vaccination Guidance (North Carolina DHHS)

  The DHHS is issuing guidance as the state executes on its COVID-19 Vaccine Plan.

  Interim guidance on vaccinating essential workers (Group 3) was issued February 4, 2021. This document provides guidance for employers of frontline essential workers on how to prepare for their staff being vaccinated when North Carolina moves to Group 3. As North Carolina moves into future groups and additional vaccine becomes available, this guidance will be updated to add information.

• NC Community Confidence

  Community Confidence is a decision support tool for Government and Business leaders to use when making important decisions that will impact their communities during the pandemic or other significant health challenges. This initiative is a collaboration between the Digital Health Institute for Transformation (DHIT), the Institute for Convergent Sciences and Innovate Carolina at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. This project is being funded by the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory as part of the 2020 COVID-19 Recovery Act.

• Greenlight Durham

  Greenlight Durham, a partnership with the City and County of Durham and Duke Health, provides free COVID-19 support including monitoring, guidance, and testing access to businesses in Durham.

• Scientific Workplace Strategy: Expert planning to re-occupy safely and economically (Flad Architects)

  The recent and ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic is requiring new paradigms and a fundamental shift in how we think about research design and space use at all levels of interaction. With the goal of lessening density and creating safer environments, many perspectives will be needed to plan for safe and effective solutions.

• Open Safely
  These recommendations for #OpenSafely were published in on May 20, 2020 by a group of bipartisan health policy experts and leaders from broad and diverse backgrounds including Andy Slavitt; Mark McClellan, MD, PhD; and others.

• Guidance on Returning to Work (OSHA)

• Reopening Decision Tree (CDC)
  The purpose of this tool is to assist employers in making (re)opening decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially to protect vulnerable workers. It is important to check with state and local health officials and other partners to determine the most appropriate actions while adjusting to meet the unique needs and circumstances of the local community.

• Reopening Your Business (The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro)
  A guide to provide organizations with the best known guidance to ensure consumer confidence and promote community health in the age of COVID-19.

• Re-entry Guidance for Health Care Facilities and Medical Device Representatives (AdvaMed)

  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and surgical facilities nationwide paused elective surgical procedures and other nonemergent and nonessential services, limiting physical access to facilities for nonessential health care personnel, patient visitors, and medical device representatives.

• Navigating Your Business Through COVID-19 (SBTDC)

  COVID-19 has disrupted the lives of millions and is having significant impacts on businesses. North Carolina’s small business service providers are here to help you navigate this unprecedented event.

   

• Small Business Center Network COVID-19 Resources

  The Small Business Center Network of North Carolina is here to help you navigate challenges associated with COVID-19. Funded by your tax dollars, our services are free.

• Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy COVID-19 Response
  Duke-Margolis faculty and researchers from Duke University and Duke Health System, and leaders from across the health care and health policy landscape are working together to advance collective recommendations to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The Center will be releasing new working papers, holding informational webinars, and centralizing useful resources for the policy community in the coming days and weeks.

• Updates from the FDA (FDA)

• Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers (CDC)
  This interim guidance is based on what is currently known about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will update this interim guidance as needed and as additional information becomes available.
  
  Also see the CDC's Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist and Pandemic Preparedness Planning for US Businesses with Overseas Operations.

• Information for Laboratories (CDC)
  This page includes interim guidance and resources for laboratory professionals working with specimens from persons under investigation (PUI) for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

• Worker Training Program (NIEHS)
  The NIEHS Worker Training Program (WTP) has been tracking information about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as it pertains to protecting workers involved in emergency response and cleanup activities performed in the United States. This page contains health and safety resources for workers who may be at risk of exposure to COVID-19.

• Ultimate Guide to Supply Chain Resiliency Success (Resilinc)
  This document provides supply chain risk management and resiliency strategies and practices.

• Best Practices for Establishing a Cross-Functional Team (NC Chamber)
  This best practice document offers guidance on establishing a cross-functional team tasked with preparation, communication and incident response.

• COVID-19 Control and Prevention (OSHA)
  OSHA has developed this interim guidance to help prevent worker exposure to COVID-19.

  Also see OSHA's 2017 Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic.

• Business and Employer Preparation Guidance (North Carolina DHHS)
  Also read about NCDHHS and NC Emergency Management's COVID-19 response and preparation here

• Strategic Preparedness and Response for the new coronavirus (WHO)
  This strategic preparedness and response plan outlines the public health measures that the international community stands ready to provide to support all countries to prepare for and respond to COVID-19.

• Travel Guidelines (CDC)
  This page includes information about Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for travelers and travel related industries.

  Also see RDU Airport's travel updates here.

• Healthcare Planning Checklist (DHHS)
  Planning for a potential emerging infectious disease pandemic, like COVID-19, is critical to protecting the health and welfare of our nation. This checklist identifies specific activities your jurisdiction can do now to prepare for, respond to, and be resilient in the face of COVID-19.

• Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employer Paid Leave Requirements (US Department of Labor)
  The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. This page provides guidance about this new law.

  Also see this Q&A with Hutchison PLLC regarding these new requirements.

• CARES Act (Federal Coronavirus Aid Package)
  The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act established several new temporary programs administered through the SBA to address the COVID-19 outbreak.

  • SBA Payroll Protection Program
    A new round of funding for PPP loans was signed into law in late December 2020. 
    The Payment Protection Program forgivable loans to small businesses to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. The loan will be fully forgiven if the funds are used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities.
    
    The loan forgiveness application is available here. 
    Loan forgiveness details available from the SBA here. Simpler PPP forgiveness (for loans of $50,000 or less) details are available here.
     
  • Economic Injury Disaster Loan
    The EIDL program is designed to provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue due to coronavirus (COVID-19). The SBA has extended the application deadline to December 31, 2021.
     
  • SBA Express Disaster Bridge Loan
    If a small business has an urgent need for cash while waiting for decision and disbursement on Economic Injury Disaster Loan, they may qualify for an SBA Express Disaster Bridge Loan of up to $25,000.
     
  • SBA Debt Relief
    The SBA will automatically pay the principal, interest, and fees of current 7(a), 504, and microloans for a period of six months.The SBA will also automatically pay the principal, interest, and fees of new 7(a), 504, and microloans issued prior to September 27, 2020

  Guidance:

  • Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources (SBA)
  • See the Small Business Owner's guide to the CARES Act here. 
  • The SBTDC's SBA Loan overview is available here, or see their full COVID-19 resource guide here.

• Main Street Lending Program (Federal Reserve)

  The Federal Reserve established the Main Street Lending Program (Program) to support lending to small and medium-sized businesses and nonprofit organizations that were in sound financial condition before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Five-year loans are in the amount of $100,000 to $300 million.

• North Carolina Business Reopening Resources (EDPNC) 

  The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina has compiled some those resource to help manage operations during the “new normal,” emphasizing that businesses always need to follow protocols set by the governor and local and state health officials.

• CARES Revolving Loan Fund
  This fund from United Durham Inc.'s Community Development Corporation capitalizes a revolving loan fund of $500,000 to address the economic development needs of small businesses and entrepreneurs adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The Revolving Loan Fund is supported by a CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant awarded to UDI in July by the federal U.S. Economic Development Administration.

• Orange County Emergency Small Business Funding Program - COVID-19
  Application deadline for Round #3: January 30, 2021

  The purpose of the Orange County Emergency Small Business Funding Program is to assist Orange County-based small businesses that are experiencing financial difficulties such as mandated shutdowns, employee layoffs, and operating losses as a result of ongoing efforts at the Federal, State and local authorities to contain and minimize the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses who have already received COVID-19 related financial assistance from either the state, federal or local governments are not eligible to apply for this round of funding

• COVID-19 Mecklenburg Small Business Emergency Stabilization Loan
  In recognition of the short and long-term impact that COVID-19 is having on the county’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Mecklenburg County government has established a loan fund in partnership with the Carolina Small Business Development Fund. The fund provides affordable financing in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $35,000 for qualifying small businesses that have been adversely impacted by the pandemic.   Funds may be used to cover the day-to-day operating expenses of the business.

• COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide (USDA)
  USDA and its Federal partners have programs that can be used to provide immediate and long-term assistance to rural communities affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. These programs can support recovery efforts for rural residents, businesses and communities through technical, training and management assistance; financial assistance; and state and local assistance.

• NC Covid-19 Rapid Recovery Loan Program (Golden LEAF Foundation)
  Applications are closed.
  In response to the unique economic challenges of COVID-19, a consortium of public, private, and nonprofit partners have come together and launched an innovative recovery-lending program to help support entrepreneurs like you and stabilize North Carolina’s small business sector.

• Job Retention Grant (NC Department of Commerce)
  Applications are closed as of October 15, 2020. 
  If your business or non-profit organization experienced interruption due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the new Job Retention Grant (JRG) Program may be able to offer assistance. Grants of up to $250,000 for businesses and nonprofits in North Carolina.