Bill Overview
Title: Apply the Science Act
Description: This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to study matters related to COVID-19 immunity, including variation in immunity resulting from prior infection, vaccination, or both.
Sponsors: Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN]
Target Audience
Population: People with varying COVID-19 immunity
Estimated Size: 330000000
- The bill focuses on understanding COVID-19 immunity variations.
- COVID-19 is a global pandemic that affected nearly every human population.
- Studies involving immunity could impact ongoing public health strategies worldwide.
- Understanding immunity is crucial for future vaccination plans and disease prevention.
- It involves all individuals who have had COVID-19, have been vaccinated, or both.
Reasoning
- The policy has a well-defined target population focusing on individuals who have varying COVID-19 immunity due to infection or vaccination. With its limited budget, the study must manage resources carefully, ensuring that it collects impactful data without overspending.
- The US has a large population affected by COVID-19, nearly everyone to some extent; thus, the study has a broad spectrum to cover. However, it will likely focus on subgroups to maintain feasibility. Some people will experience greater direct impacts than others.
- The Cantril wellbeing scores aim to measure self-reported wellbeing, giving a subjective viewpoint on how people feel about their situation and potential policy impacts.
- The interviews include individuals both directly and indirectly impacted by the policy. Given the costs associated with this study, the initial budget focus might prioritize regions with high infection rates, vaccine rollouts, or diverse demographics.
Simulated Interviews
Nurse (New York, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful about new insights into immunity, especially as a healthcare worker dealing with COVID cases.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Software Developer (Austin, TX)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think the study is useful but it doesn't impact me directly as I'm already cautious and prefer natural immunity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
School Teacher (Chicago, IL)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More research will help us understand how to keep schools safe.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Retired (Miami, FL)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Understanding immunity is key to managing my risk better. This study is very important.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
PhD Student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 25 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's a great opportunity for the research community to collaborate.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Freelancer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Useful especially for planning large-scale events with crowd safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Fitness Trainer (Denver, CO)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While it won't change my day-to-day, insights are always good for overall strategies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Tech Entrepreneur (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Advancements in this area could really drive new tech innovations and investment opportunities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 9 |
Factory Worker (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 53 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More understanding in immunity helps us all, but I don't expect direct changes to my factory work.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired Nurse (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 70 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm cautiously optimistic; more data can only help public health.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $2000000 (Low: $1500000, High: $2500000)
Year 2: $1800000 (Low: $1300000, High: $2300000)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The study will improve understanding of COVID-19 immunity, which could be crucial for future public health responses.
- Accurate data collection and analysis are pivotal to ensure credible outcomes.
- Collaborations with international and national health organizations will be necessary to facilitate comprehensive research.
- Timeliness of the results is crucial as COVID-19 remains a current global concern.