COVID-19 Public Health Resources
Below, you can find a variety of resources available to the general public, policymakers, and educators that we share to encourage access to greater knowledge of the COVID-19 pandemic, guidelines, and response.
State of the Pandemic
WHO Weekly Situation Reports provide an overview of the global, regional, and country-level COVID-19 cases and deaths, highlighting key data and trends; as well as other pertinent epidemiological information concerning the COVID-19 pandemic.
The WHO COVID-19 Dashboard provides an interactive map with figures of the latest total of confirmed cases of COVID-19, including deaths received by WHO from national authorities.
The CDC COVID Data Tracker provides maps and charts tracking cases, deaths, and trends of COVID-19 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States. The site is updated daily by 8 pm ET.
The OurWorldInData: Statistics and Research site includes 207 country profiles that allow you to explore the statistics on the COVID-19 pandemic for every country in the world. Each profile includes interactive visualizations, explanations of the presented metrics, and the details on the sources of the data, with each country profile updated daily.
The Outbreak.info site is a project from Su, Wu, and Andersen Labs at Scripps Research to unify COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology and genomic data, published research, and other resources. The site’s COVID Variants Tracker provides data on genomic variants through interactive visualizations, a searchable library, and downloadable raw data.
The John Hopkins University COVID-19 Dashboard provides critical data on COVID-19 from the last 24 hours, allowing viewers to explore COVID-19 trends around the world with in-depth data tracking.
The Massachusetts Department of Health COVID-19 page provides the latest updates and information for MA residents, including the latest data, updates from the governor, reopening status for the state, and regulations and guidance.
The NPR Vaccine Tracker: How Is The COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign Going In Your State? page explores how the vaccine rollout is going via five graphics, built using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Reports, Response, and International Initiatives
The WHO COVAX page provides information on COVAX, which is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world.
The International Monetary Fund COVID-19 Policy Tracker summarizes the key economic responses governments are taking to limit the human and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tracker includes 197 economies.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI) is a global partnership launched in 2017 to develop vaccines to stop future epidemics.
“Second report on progress” from the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (2021), Prepared for the WHO Executive Board in January 2021, is informed by the review of hundreds of documents, expert consultations across many sectors, case studies, submissions received by the panel from member states, academia, civil society, and citizens, and almost 100 interviews with those at the front lines of pandemic preparedness and response.
“Improving Pandemic Preparedness: Lessons From COVID-19” from the Council on Foreign Affairs (2020) proposes a robust strategy consisting of critical institutional reforms and policy innovations to help the United States and the world perform better against the threat of pandemics.
The “WHO-convened Global Study of the Origins of SARS-CoV-2” (including annexes) is the report seeking to identify the zoonotic source of the virus and the route of introduction to the human population, including the possible role of intermediate hosts. In May 2020, the World Health Assembly in resolution WHA73.1 requested the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) to continue to work closely with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and countries, as part of the One Health approach, to publish this report with the aim of preventing both reinfection with the virus in animals and humans and the establishing of new zoonotic reservoirs, thereby reducing further risks of the emergence and transmission of zoonotic diseases.
“How Covid-19 is changing the world: a statistical perspective” is a report from the UN and Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities that provides an updated snapshot of some of the latest information available on how COVID-19 is affecting different aspects of public and private life.
Guidelines
The CDC COVID-19 Guidelines page provides guidance on a variety of topics to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The WHO COVID-19 Guidelines and Technical Briefs are the result of WHO teams, working with experts from around the world, who review reports, studies, presentations by countries, analyze trends, consult further expert groups, and then agree on the best approach. The guidance is meant for health decision-makers who adapt the information for their country and context.
Public Health Tools
The CDC COVID Facts provides the latest guidance, scientific updates, resources for healthcare workers, and vaccine information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The COVID 101: Doctor-Reviewed Answers to Your Questions site is a resource for reliable, easy-to-understand answers to all your questions on the COVID-19 pandemic.
The WHO COVID Mythbusters page provides advice for the public on how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, dispelling misinformation and promoting scientific research.
Find COVID-19 Vaccines Near You by searching within a certain radius of your zip code.
The CDC COVID Vaccination page provides a variety of answers to commonly asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccination.
The CDC COVID-19 Prevention Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides important steps to spread the COVID-19 virus and protect yourself and others.
The COVID Resources page from the Massachusetts Department of Health provides a variety of resources to MA residents to offer support in navigating the pandemic.
The COVID Vaccination Location page from the Massachusetts Department of Health provides links to vaccination sites and the means to make a vaccination appointment.