In response to COVID-19, USDA authorized several waivers to provide necessary flexibilities for WIC to continue operations in a safe and socially distant manner. Though rapid flexibility and consistent communication were paramount to this success, WIC agencies and other stakeholders lacked a consolidated database to quickly understand which waivers were being approved or denied.
The WIC Waiver Tracker provides a consolidated data set of all approved, denied, and submitted COVID-19 Waivers from March 20 to June 30, 2020. The Tracker is organized by state, region, waiver type, and response time, and is easily sortable to obtain necessary information on changes that affect participants, vendors, and state agencies. These data were used to encourage the USDA to extend all approved waivers through the duration of the emergency period in the Center for Public Health's policy brief, Improving Women, Infants, and Children’s Access to Food.
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The Center for Public Health’s report, Tracking What Matters: How to Address Critical WIC Needs During a Public Health Emergency, analyzes these data to help WIC advocates and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) understand the changing needs of WIC and identify recommendations for future public health emergencies.
This project was completed in partnership with the National WIC Association (NWA), the leading voice for more than 12,000 WIC locations across the country, providing member-driven advocacy, education, and guidance to support WIC staff.
How to Address Critical WIC Needs During a Public Health Emergency analyzes the COVID-19 waiver process for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) state agencies during the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read the Report