As we approach the two-year anniversary date of the first case of COVID-19 being confirmed in the United States (January 20, 2020), WISE Indiana would like to thank each of you for your unique contribution to our state’s pandemic response. We would also like to thank you for your ongoing COVID-19 Daily Digest readership, and the expert contributions so many of you have made to the WISE Indiana COVID-19 Rapid Response Team effort.

These shared endeavors to bring timely and evidence-informed information to the fingertips of government decision-makers and front-line responders have been notable examples of public health in action. Since January 2020, this team has generated over 150 expert responses to complex questions asked by State of Indiana leadership about COVID-19 treatment, mitigation, vaccination, symptoms, and more. In addition, the team has published 952 reviews of the evidence, summarizing the most recent and relevant scientific literature and guidance. This has resulted in nearly 60,000 pageviews of the COVID-19 Daily Digest since its inception. Lastly, the team has contributed significantly to the development and maintenance of Indiana 2-1-1’s Public Portal Vaccination FAQ and the Indiana Department of Health’s COVID-19 Public Line FAQ.

We have been humbled by the impact our collective efforts have had, and want to share with you the affirming words of FSSA Secretary Dr. Daniel Rusyniak and IDOH Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box.

This is the single most trusted source for new COVID information out there. Period.

– Daniel Rusyniak, MD, Indiana FSSA Secretary

The WISE Indiana partnership has allowed us to get the most current information available into the hands of those who need it to best protect Hoosiers.

– Kristina Box, MD, FACOG, Indiana State Health Commissioner

As our State and Nation mature in their pandemic response and public health communication practices, and our community’s need for the COVID-19 Daily Digest and Rapid Response Team winds down, we at WISE Indiana are putting the valuable lessons we’ve learned to good use through ongoing collaboration to address issues that matter for our state. Some recent examples of this collaboration include:

• Implementation of a Caregiver Survey with FSSA’s Division of Aging, in collaboration with the IU Center for Survey Research and IU Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science to understand the health and needs of Hoosier adults committed to providing informal, unpaid support and caregiving to other adults aged 55 and older.
• Partnership with FSSA’s Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning to provide literature reviews and expert consultation to ensure that Indiana Health Coverage Programs decisions are informed by the best available evidence.
• Explorative analysis with experts at the Fairbanks School of Public Health into the cost of untreated mental illness in Indiana to assist FSSA’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction in fulfilling the Indiana Behavioral Health Commission’s goal of improving the behavioral and mental health of Hoosiers.

We would greatly appreciate if you took a few minutes to provide feedback as a reader of the COVID-19 Daily Digest by taking this survey. If you are interested in becoming a member of the WISE Indiana network of experts, please fill out the expert directory, or email us with questions at wisein@iu.edu.

While updates will no longer be posted to the COVID-19 Daily Digest, its resources will remain accessible for the foreseeable future – and we will continue to be in touch regarding other WISE Indiana projects and opportunities for engagement. Note that future WISE Indiana updates will still come from wisein@iu.edu. We look forward to continuing to connect with you.

Wishing you health and happiness in 2022!

Amy Lewis Gilbert, JD, MPH
amy.gilbert@fssa.in.gov

Sarah Wiehe, MD, MPH
swiehe@iu.edu

The WISE Indiana Administrative Team
Emily Hardwick, MPH, CCRP, PMP
ejhardwi@iu.edu

Patrick Monahan, PhD
pmonahan@iu.edu

Amber Osterholt, PhD
aeosterh@iu.edu

Aaron Zych, MPH
ajzych@iu.edu

Deidre Gray
deidgray@iu.edu

Megan Lisch, MPH
megan.lisch@fssa.in.gov