Critical Releases in Homeland Security: May 6, 2020

From the Executive Summary: "Drawing on a scientific national survey (N = 3,933; including 3,188 registered voters), this report describes how the American public is responding to the spread of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] in the U.S."

From the Introduction: "On April 16, 2020, the President unveiled 'Opening Up America Again' Guidelines, a three-phased approach to reopening based on the advice of public health experts. These Guidelines are helping State and local officials reopen their economies and get people back to work, while protecting the health and safety of the American people. This Blueprint is designed to facilitate State development and implementation of the robust testing plans and rapid response programs called for in the President's Guidelines. Having these plans and programs in place will help States prevent and contain local outbreaks that may occur as economic and social activities expand across the country."

From the Executive Summary: "The global pandemic of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] poses an unprecedented challenge to the health and well-being of every state and territory across the country. In the absence of treatments and vaccines proven to be safe and effective, states and territories have turned to social distancing to avoid a spike in serious illnesses and deaths that could overwhelm the healthcare system. While there is significant evidence that social distancing is effective at blunting the full force of COVID-19, these actions have come with significant economic and social costs. With the paramount aim of keeping individuals and communities safe, governors are committed to reopening states in a manner that preserves public safety and confidence. Opening prematurely--or opening without the tools in place to rapidly identify and stop the spread of the virus--could send states back into crisis mode, push health systems past capacity, and force states back into strict social distancing measures. [...] There is substantial consensus among national experts that significant preparation will be required by state and national leaders to scale up the required public health infrastructure to limit outbreaks. States will also need to develop plans for a careful, staged reopening that protects the public's health while laying a strong foundation for long-term economic recovery. This report synthesizes and expands upon these expert recommendations by outlining ten key steps and related operational considerations for governors to guide critical decisions in support of the public's health and well-being in the weeks and months ahead."