An Afghan guest receives a COVID-19 test at a Virginia safe haven site.
On August 29, 2021, President Biden directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to lead Operation Allies Welcome (OAW). The program supported the safe resettlement of Afghan asylum seekers who worked with coalition forces in Afghanistan.
During OAW’s resettlement phase (November 2021 through September 2022), Afghan allies entered temporary safe haven sites in Indiana, Virginia, New Jersey, and Maryland. They received full medical screening and access to mental health services at these sites.
ICATT contractors, eTrueNorth and Longview International Technology Solutions (LTS), performed routine COVID-19 testing as a part of their continuity of care. This serial testing limited the spread of COVID-19 at these sites. Limiting the spread of COVID-19 expedited the safe placement of Afghans in U.S. communities. The testing was also important to keep staff healthy and operations running smoothly. Contractors provided real-time data to federal agencies for immediate review. This rapid sharing of data supported quick decision-making. Testing efforts were scaled up during times of elevated positivity. eTrueNorth and LTS contractors met the increased testing demand often with less than a day’s notice.
eTrueNorth and LTS administered more than 76,000 COVID-19 tests to Afghan allies and 28,000 to support staff from August 2021 to September 2022. ICATT’s support of the inter-agency OAW is an example of a successful public-private partnership with CDC.