Nationalizing Public Health Emergency Legal Responses

Abstract

The fight for public health primacy in U.S. emergency preparedness and response to COVID-19 centers on which level of government—federal or state—should “call the shots” to quell national emergencies? Competing and conflicting priorities have contributed to a year-long federalism firestorm. As the melee subsides, a more dominant federal role is a predictable, long-term consequence in the battle plan for the next major public health threat.

Keywords: COVID-19, national, state, emergency, public health, planning, preparedness, response, security, federalism, laws, policies, preemption, pandemics, public health emergency