Memo to the president: Reimaging public health preparedness and response

ABSTRACT

The Biden administration must reevaluate the emergency response doctrine that proved so fragile during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the crisis, the federal government was not the backstop many expected it would be when states were desperately competing with each other for emergency supplies. A chronically underfunded public health system and a presidential administration that did not heed the pandemic plans it had on hand added to the chaotic response.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• emergency response
• strategic national stockpile
• health and human services department
• public health
• trump administration
• pandemic playbook
• world health organization

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Daniel M. Gerstein

Daniel M. Gerstein formerly served as the acting undersecretary and deputy undersecretary in the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security from 2011-2014 and is an adjunct professor at American University where he teaches courses on biodefense issues.