The RAND Blog

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Inventions Birthed by Necessity of Coronavirus

If necessity is the mother of invention, the new coronavirus is quickly birthing a lot of innovations. Parts of U.S. society may be forever changed by this pandemic. The national emergency will eventually end, but the longer it lasts, the less likely that the pre-pandemic business-as-usual ways will return.

Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein

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The Justice System and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Resources for Policymakers

From closed courts to increased risk for first responders, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new challenges for the justice system. RAND research provides insights that may be helpful as decisionmakers try and address some of these issues.

Bethany Saunders-Medina

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Medical Supply Shortfalls, Parenting Through the Pandemic, North Korea: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on reducing medical supply shortfalls, understanding who's in charge during a pandemic, North Korea's nuclear blackmail, and more.

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How Norway's Allies View Its Defense Challenges and Opportunities

Norway's Ministry of Defence will shortly publish its next Long Term Plan, which outlines how the Armed Forces, in tandem with other elements of government and society, can best address the threats to Norway. Other countries can learn from how Norway chooses to tackle emerging challenges, and can benefit from its lessons learned.

Stephen J. Flanagan, James Black

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Is It Time to Rethink the Separation Between the High School and Postsecondary Systems?

We do not yet know how long or deep this economic downturn will be, or how the pandemic will affect the way we work and learn. But just as the post-coronavirus workplace is surely being re-envisioned, this crisis should motivate us to reconsider the structure of our educational system. Early college is a model that can help inform these discussions.

Julie Edmunds, Fatih Unlu, et al.

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Can We Emerge from COVID-19 with a Healthier Work Culture?

American families want greater choices in determining how their work and their families fit together. Post-pandemic, can we create a system that fits workers? If so, we have the opportunity to emerge from this crisis with both healthier employees and better performing organizations.

Bobbi Thomason, Heather J. Williams @HeatherJWill

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The Important Role of Faith-Based Organizations in the Context of COVID-19

Maintaining social and spiritual connections in the midst of COVID-19 are not the only challenges facing communities of faith. Congregations play critical roles in providing social services within communities. How can their services, such as food assistance, be delivered safely?

Kathryn Pitkin Derose, Michael Mata

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Who Calls the Shots During a Pandemic, the U.S. Government or States? Q&A with RAND Experts

The tension between the federal government and state and local authorities has highlighted a fundamental challenge of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic: Who's in charge?

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Coronavirus Will Require Changes in Schools When They Reopen to Protect Students

Schools will likely need to modify their practices so that their teachers, staff, and students maintain social distancing standards whenever they reopen. If a federal agency would create guidance, then educators could focus on teaching students.

Heather L. Schwartz @schwartz_hl

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COVID-19: The Questions Ahead for Future Travel and Transport

COVID-19 could have lasting effects on future travel patterns. Future scenarios, a method for visualizing different possible futures, can help inform decisions in deeply uncertain situations and can be used to think about policies that are important for people's quality of life regardless of how the future unfolds.

Charlene Rohr

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Looking After Those Who Look After Us—How COVID-19 May Affect NHS Staff

COVID-19 may leave a long legacy of poor health and well-being in the National Health Service workforce. This could affect quality of care and the financial performance of the system. We need to ensure that NHS organizations provide significant support for health care workers.

Christian Van Stolk

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Why COVID-19 Will Not Stop Globalization

Commentators have predicted that the outbreak will upend how we think about the flow of people and goods across borders and leave a markedly different world in its wake. But while COVID-19 will change the mechanics of globalization, it will likely not spell globalization's death knell.

Raphael S. Cohen

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Women and COVID-19: Studying the Impact of Sex and Gender

Much of current medical evidence is based largely on men. The current COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity to examine the potential value of asking questions about sex and gender differences to inform ongoing policy decisions.

Chloe E. Bird @ChloeBirdPhD, Lori Frank @LoriBethFrank, et al.

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The Danger of Converting a Health Crisis into a Financial Crisis

The impulse to do something to help businesses right now is well-intended, but lending to companies that were highly leveraged pre-crisis is a risky bet. Assistance could be best directed toward sound enterprises that are likely to survive and contribute to boosting the economy in the coming years.

Krishna B. Kumar @kbkumar_, Shanthi Nataraj, et al.

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The Coronavirus and North Korea: Is There a Cure for Kim's Nuclear Blackmail?

Despite the pandemic, North Korea's recent activities suggest that Kim Jong Un will likely stay the course in his ongoing campaign against the United States and the broader Northeast Asia region.

Soo Kim