Digital Government

As Variant Spreads, Some Regions Bring Back Mask Advisories

In St. Louis and Los Angeles, officials are urging vaccinated residents to wear masks as cases of the Delta strain of Covid-19 are on the rise.

Digital Government

Agencies Ramp Up COVID-19 Deployments Again to Address Outbreaks

White House launches “surge response teams” just as agencies were starting to bring back federal personnel.

Cybersecurity

IG: SBA’s Cybersecurity ‘Not Effective,’ In Part Due to COVID

The pandemic created new cybersecurity problems for the Small Business Administration, according to the agency’s annual FISMA report.

Modernization

Survey: Nearly 80% of Feds, D.C. Employees Believe Productivity Increased With Telework

The American Federation of Government Employees survey comes as agency heads decide how to operate in the waning months of a pandemic. 

Ideas

What I Learned Helping Lead Oversight of $5 Trillion in Pandemic Relief

Large scale identity theft-based fraud in unemployment assistance stunned many, even those who fight fraud for a living.

Emerging Tech

‘This May Not Be The Big One’: Army Scientists Warn of Worse Potential Pandemics

The service is closing in on a “pan-coronavirus” vaccine and on synthetic antibodies that could protect a population before spread. But that may not be enough.

Modernization

DOD's Commercial Virtual Remote Environment Officially Sunsets

The environment for collaboration that supported telework during the pandemic expired.

Ideas

8 Ways to Manage Body Image Anxiety After Lockdown

In a survey of 3,000 adults in the U.S., 61% experienced undesired weight changes since the start of the pandemic.

Ideas

Over Half of Adults Unvaccinated for COVID-19 Fear Needles – Here's What's Proven to Help

Research-proven adult interventions for pain, fainting, panic and fear can make vaccination more tolerable.

Digital Government

OSHA Pandemic Safety Rules Only Cover Health Care Workers

OSHA also issued new guidance on COVID-19 measures for all employers, including paid time off for vaccinations, barriers and shields, and employer-provided face coverings.

Ideas

The Psychological Benefits of Commuting to Work

Many people who have been working from home are experiencing a void they can’t quite name.

Digital Government

The Federal Government May Need to Play a Role in Vaccine Credentials, Despite Reluctance

The Biden administration has repeatedly said there will be no federal mandate, but it may be difficult to sit on the sidelines as states and businesses develop their own policies, some experts say.

Digital Government

Study: Government Contractors Expect Business to Boom in 2021

After profits declined during the pandemic, companies continue to explore ways to drum up business in a virtual world.

Cybersecurity

States Bolster Data Security Technology in Response to Covid-19, Survey Finds

Governments have faced significant technology challenges during the pandemic, with 79% saying they faced major issues adopting and expanding remote work, according to the National Association of State Technology Directors.

Modernization

Lawmakers Want IGs to Include Telework Vulnerabilities in Upcoming FISMA Audits

House Oversight Committee leaders want to know what vulnerabilities remote-access software introduced and whether agencies mitigated them.

Ideas

Overcrowded U.S. National Parks Need a Reservation System

Limiting visitors has two purposes: reducing COVID-19 risks and allowing some parks to recover from recent wildfires.