Rocky Mountain West COVID-19 Modeling: A Descriptive Assessment of Public Health Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic...

Although federal funding for COVID-19 pandemic response measures has ended, opportunities remain to understand the needs of public health departments and the potential use of infectious disease models in the postacute pandemic response. We conducted semistructured interviews with public health representatives representing state, local, and regional/tribal public health departments in the Rocky Mountain West in summer 2022 to understand their COVID-19 priorities, decision-making needs, and data resources.

We interviewed representatives from 6 organizations representing 3 state, local, and regional/tribal public health departments in the Rocky Mountain West.

From interviews, priorities included having timely information on vaccines, being able to anticipate COVID-19 demands on hospitals, understanding the potential effects of emerging variants, and communicating immunity concepts to the public. Decisions focused on making public health recommendations as opposed to mandates. Multiple interviewees reported limited access to timely COVID-19 data, challenges tracking COVID-19 hospitalizations, and a desire for communication tools on vaccinations and immunity.

Although COVID-19 models can provide forecasts on hospital demand and project the effects of vaccines and variants in the endemic period, major gaps in data continue to challenge the public health response. Continued investments are needed in data and surveillance resources to respond to COVID-19 and to prepare for future pandemics.