Skip to page content

Public Health Preparedness

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
commentary
Is COVID-19 a National Security Emergency?
Louis Klarevas, Colin P. Clarke
Aug 6, 2020
Just Security
Developing an effective national response to COVID-19 could begin with elevating the pandemic from a public health emergency to a national security crisis. The novel coronavirus may not be a threat that the military can defeat, but that doesn't mean the United States shouldn't set it in its sights and go on the offensive against it.
Read More »

Health Care Reform
commentary
Out of the Ashes: Forging the Post-Pandemic U.S. Health System
Sydney Fouche, Kaitlyn Entel, Christopher Nelson, Chloe E. Bird @ChloeBirdPhD, Mahshid Abir
Jul 31, 2020
The RAND Blog
With shifting insights, new problems, and exacerbation of old problems revealed by the pandemic, innovative solutions in the U.S. health system are being adopted where rapid change would normally have been rare. There is both an opportunity and a responsibility to assess how these changes are working and where they can improve health, reduce inequity, and save money.
Read More »
China
blog
China in 2050, Using Mobile Tools to Track COVID-19, Telemedicine: RAND Weekly Recap
Jul 31, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on the future of U.S.-China competition, privacy concerns surrounding mobile tools used to track COVID-19, how telemedicine can help patients access specialized care, and more.
Read More »
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
blog
Preparing for a COVID Surge, Reducing Police Violence, Media Literacy in Schools: RAND Weekly Recap
Jul 2, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on helping hospitals prepare for a surge in COVID-19 infections, an approach to reducing police violence, teachers' concerns about students' media literacy, and more.
Read More »
Biomedical Research
commentary
Biosecurity Is the Lesson We Need to Learn from the Coronavirus Pandemic
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein, James Giordano
May 11, 2020
The National Interest
Biological outbreaks have been a fear among experts for decades and human activities present windows of vulnerability. To address this, America needs to have a new approach to biosafety and biosecurity that addresses the full range of biological threats that humankind and the global environment will face in the future.
Read More »
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
commentary
Planning for the Upcoming Hurricane Season in Light of COVID-19
Aaron Clark-Ginsberg, Gary Cecchine @GaryCecchine, Craig Fugate, Craig A. Bond
May 4, 2020
Vox
What if Hurricane Katrina had hit during a pandemic? Emergency planners can prepare for this scenario by evaluating current response system capacity, evacuation and sheltering procedures, food and supply issues, and more.
Read More »
Firearms
blog
U.S. Gun Policy, Reopening Schools, Prepping for a Hurricane: RAND Weekly Recap
Apr 24, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on what scientific evidence says about the effects of U.S. gun laws, how schools may have to change when they reopen, preparing for a COVID-19 hurricane, and more.
Read More »
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
blog
Medical Supply Shortfalls, Parenting Through the Pandemic, North Korea: RAND Weekly Recap
Apr 17, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on reducing medical supply shortfalls, understanding who's in charge during a pandemic, North Korea's nuclear blackmail, and more.
Read More »
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
q&a
Who Calls the Shots During a Pandemic, the U.S. Government or States? Q&A with RAND Experts
Apr 16, 2020
The RAND Blog
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?
Read More »
North Korea
commentary
North Korea: Denying COVID-19
Bruce W. Bennett @bwbennett, Diana Myers
Apr 2, 2020
The National Interest
According to Pyongyang, North Korea has not yet suffered any cases of COVID-19. That would be surprising, since it is a neighbor and extensive trading partner of China. There are signs that this claim is yet another North Korean deception.
Read More »
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
commentary
Implement Critical Care Surge Strategies Now to Save Lives
Mahshid Abir, Kaitlyn Entel, Christopher Nelson
Apr 1, 2020
Health Affairs Blog
As COVID-19 continues to spread, hospitals are bracing for a surge of patients requiring critical care. To meet the demand, U.S. health care facilities may need to fundamentally change the way they allocate space, staff, and equipment.
Read More »
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
blog
COVID-19 and the Economy, America's Blood Supply, 10 Years of the ACA: RAND Weekly Recap
Mar 27, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on COVID-19 and the economy, strengthening the U.S. blood supply, 10 years of the Affordable Care Act, and more.
Read More »
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
blog
Experts Discuss COVID-19: RAND Weekly Recap
Mar 20, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on COVID-19, how the United States is responding to the coronavirus outbreak, the spread of misinformation during this time, and more.
Read More »
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
q&a
U.S. COVID-19 Cases on the Rise: Q&A with RAND Experts
Mar 18, 2020
COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, is now in all 50 states. And more and more U.S. cases and deaths are being reported. As orders to close schools and restaurants take effect across America, RAND researchers answer some questions about the crisis.
Read More »
Telemedicine
commentary
Coronavirus, Telemedicine, and Dustbusters
Ateev Mehrotra, Lori Uscher-Pines
Mar 16, 2020
The RAND Blog
Telemedicine has been with us for decades. And yet it hasn't transformed health care in the way that ATMs have transformed banking or cordless vacuums have transformed household cleaning. But the coronavirus pandemic could forever change how telemedicine is used.
Read More »
Postsecondary Education
commentary
Coronavirus Forces Colleges Online. Will Learning Ever Be the Same?
Charles A. Goldman, Rita Karam
Mar 16, 2020
Fox News Channel
Colleges and universities have turned to online courses to help slow the spread of COVID-19. But distance learning may also hold promise as a long-term strategy to help make higher education more accessible and affordable.
Read More »
Health Care Services Capacity
commentary
COVID-19: A Stress Test for a U.S. Health Care System Already Under Stress
Mahshid Abir, Christina Cutter, Christopher Nelson
Mar 12, 2020
Health Affairs Blog
There are many things hospitals and health systems could be doing in the coming weeks to best prepare for the advancing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Evaluating their surge response plans will be critical.
Read More »
Mortality
commentary
Estimates of COVID-19's Fatality Rate Might Change. And Then Change Again.
Raffaele Vardavas, Courtney A. Gidengil @c_gidengil, Sarah A. Nowak
Mar 11, 2020
The RAND Blog
With infections of the new coronavirus confirmed in countries around the world, people are following the daily tally of COVID-19 cases, wondering exactly how lethal this new disease is. The truth is, it's hard to know.
Read More »
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
commentary
A Coronavirus Election? Look to the Bottom of the Ticket
Patrick Roberts @RamblingRoberts
Mar 9, 2020
The Washington Post
As the coronavirus spreads in communities, it will be mayors, county judges, and school superintendents—not federal officials—who make the tough calls about whether to declare a state of emergency or shutter public schools and other institutions.
Read More »
Democracy
blog
Civic Engagement and Health, the State of the Union, Better Sleep: RAND Weekly Recap
Feb 7, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on the link between civic engagement and health, policy insights from the State of the Union address, what couples can do to improve their sleep, and more.
Read More »
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
commentary
Is Coronavirus Another SARS?
Jennifer Bouey @BoueyHuang
Jan 28, 2020
The World Post
In 2002, the SARS pandemic infected more than 8,000 people and killed 774. How is the coronavirus outbreak similar? And how is it different?
Read More »
Emergency Preparedness
commentary
Achieving the Trump Administration's National Biodefense Strategy
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
Oct 2, 2018
RealClearDefense
The Trump administration recently published its National Biodefense Strategy, which says that managing the risk of biological threats is in the “vital interest” of the United States, however they might present. The document provides a solid foundation, but more may be required to fully realize its goals and objectives.
Read More »
Emergency Preparedness
commentary
FEMA's Transformation
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
Jun 8, 2018
CNN
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's strategic plan shows several shifts in U.S. disaster relief policy. Redirecting longer-term recovery operations to state and local authorities would allow FEMA to concentrate its assets on the catastrophic disasters it is uniquely designed to handle.
Read More »
India
commentary
Where Are India's Heat Hotspots?
Gulrez Shah Azhar, Jaime Madrigano @JMadrigano
May 17, 2017
The RAND Blog
Poverty, poor sanitation, a precarious water and electricity supply, and limited access to health care make India vulnerable to heat waves. Rural and urban districts could improve their preparedness by developing and targeting local adaptation strategies.
Read More »
Public Health Preparedness
commentary
How to Handle the Infectious Diseases Threat
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
Jun 3, 2016
CNN
The reactive approach to emerging infectious disease should be augmented with an anticipatory model that accounts for the dramatic changes occurring through globalization, greater interactions between human and zoonotic populations, and changes to the environment and climate patterns.
Read More »
Public Health Preparedness
commentary
Wildfires Getting More Destructive
Jaime Madrigano @JMadrigano
Dec 28, 2015
Orange County Register
The potential for smoke to harm air quality and cause health problems was especially acute in 2015 because a record number of wildfires broke out in the United States. Pre-wildfire season preparedness could go a long way toward protecting public health.
Read More »
Public Health Preparedness
commentary
Control Disease in a New York Minute
Shoshana R. Shelton, Melinda Moore
Aug 20, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Legionella bacteria are ubiquitous in many warm-water environments, but outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease like the recent one in the South Bronx don't have to be. Effective public health policies and practices can help inhibit Legionella growth, minimize the occurrence and impact of outbreaks, and save lives.
Read More »
Public Health Preparedness
commentary
As Ebola Declines, Lessons Emerge
Michael D. Rich @michaeldrich
May 7, 2015
The RAND Blog
Lessons learned through the analysis of this most recent Ebola outbreak as well as other disease outbreaks can have far-reaching consequences, helping authorities to both improve the continuing, ongoing response and plan for the best possible response to future threats.
Read More »
Infectious Diseases
commentary
The Disneyland Measles Outbreak: 'Anti-Vaxxers' Aren't the Only Issue
Jodi L. Liu @jodilliu, Jeanne S. Ringel @JeanneRingel
Mar 17, 2015
The Press-Enterprise
The recent measles outbreak that began in Disneyland is the latest reminder that Americans have ceded ground in the fight against the potentially deadly disease. So-called 'anti-vaxxer' parents have received a lot of attention following the outbreak, but they may comprise less of the population than you think.
Read More »
Infectious Diseases
commentary
What Have We Learned from the Ebola Outbreak?
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
Dec 31, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
For much of 2014, the world has confronted the most deadly Ebola outbreak since the discovery of the disease in 1976. What lessons have emerged? What should the world do to better prepare for transnational outbreaks?
Read More »
Ebola
commentary
Ebola Shows America Needs Better Disaster Preparedness
Mahshid Abir, Richard Serino
Nov 7, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
Crafting an effective, whole-community strategy to respond to Ebola could stop the spread of the disease now and lay groundwork for responses to future outbreaks and other emergencies. In the long run, this could make public preparedness and resilience valuable assets for the U.S.
Read More »
Emergency Services and Response
commentary
Declaring War on Ebola
Stephanie Pezard @StephaniePezard, Michael Shurkin @MichaelShurkin
Oct 10, 2014
Modern Healthcare
Operation United Assistance, which includes the deployment of 3,000 U.S. military personnel to West Africa to respond to the Ebola crisis, is a welcome recognition of the range of missions the military is increasingly able to tackle, particularly in disaster-management assistance.
Read More »
Global Health
commentary
Ebola Outbreak: Putting the Public Back in Public Health
Melinda Moore
Oct 9, 2014
The Hill
Medical and public health systems are crucial to controlling the transmission of Ebola and treating patients. But the public's role in becoming aware and engaged, both in West Africa and the United States, cannot be overstated.
Read More »
Epidemic
commentary
Six Takeaways from the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa
Jeanne S. Ringel @JeanneRingel, Peter Chalk
Aug 8, 2014
The RAND Blog
No amount of research can save those who've already perished from Ebola in West Africa, but our capacity to learn from such tragedies is a silver lining that has historically enhanced global resilience to disease. With that in mind, here are six key lessons from the outbreak.
Read More »
Epidemiology
commentary
An Outbreak of Outbreaks
Melinda Moore, Andrew M. Parker, Courtney A. Gidengil @c_gidengil
Jun 11, 2014
The Health Care Blog
Lately, stories about outbreaks seem to be spreading faster than the diseases themselves. An outbreak of measles in Ohio is just part of an 18-year high of U.S. cases. Meanwhile, polio continues to circulate in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria, while spreading to other countries, like Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Syria.
Read More »
Influenza
commentary
H7N9 Bird Flu — Health Authorities Are Prepared, but Must Stay on High Alert
Melinda Moore
May 10, 2013
Asia Healthcare Blog
Having dealt with outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu and other communicable diseases like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and H1N1 swine flu in 2009, health officials are now far better prepared to detect new diseases early and react quickly to monitor and contain their spread.
Read More »
Emergency Responders
commentary
Why U.S. Was Surprised, but Prepared for Boston Attack
Arthur L. Kellermann
Apr 18, 2013
CNN
Although official after-action reports are still being compiled, it looks like Boston's first responders and hospitals delivered under difficult circumstances, writes Arthur Kellermann.
Read More »
Public Health Preparedness
commentary
Tuberculosis Outbreak in LA Reminds Us of Importance of 'Bread and Butter' Public Health Capabilities
Shoshana R. Shelton
Mar 12, 2013
The RAND Blog
In this fiscally uncertain climate, we should continue to leverage the dual-use benefit of bioterrorism investments by building and maintaining those routine (but essential) public health capabilities that can also be used in response to a variety of public health emergencies.
Read More »
Influenza
blog
Health Care Providers May Be the Key to Improving Flu Vaccination Rates
Dec 4, 2012
For vaccination to become a public health priority in the U.S., stakeholders must strengthen guidance for providers, which would make it easier for physicians to both assess vaccination needs and aid communication with patients about the efficacy and safety of vaccines.
Read More »
Emergency Preparedness
commentary
Far More U.S. Health Security Research Effort Aimed at Bioterrorism than Natural Disasters
Shoshana R. Shelton
Dec 3, 2012
The RAND Blog
Given the broad range of threats facing the United States, including those related to extreme weather, it is imperative that monies invested in enhancing health security be well spent, writes Shoshana Shelton.
Read More »
Emergency Preparedness
commentary
Why Aren't Americans Listening to Disaster Preparedness Messages?
Lori Uscher-Pines, Anita Chandra, Joie D. Acosta, Arthur L. Kellermann
Jun 29, 2012
The RAND Blog
Given the recent spate of highly publicized disasters, why don't more Americans pay attention to the advice of public health officials? The messages they are getting are largely based on unverified assumptions, not hard evidence. Equally concerning, these assumptions may inadvertently hinder preparedness.
Read More »
Public Health Preparedness
commentary
Heed Film Lessons on Outbreak
Arthur L. Kellermann, Melinda Moore
Dec 29, 2011
Atlanta Journal Constitution
To assure the health security of the United States, we must be capable of stopping anything a terrorist or Mother Nature might throw at us. Wholesale cuts to public health are taking us farther from that goal, write Art Kellermann and Melinda Moore.
Read More »
Influenza
commentary
Vaccine Myths Could Cost Lives: They Don't Give You Autism, and They'll Hardly Ever Make You Sick
Arthur L. Kellermann, Katherine M. Harris
Jan 13, 2011
New York Daily News
This year's seasonal flu shot incorporates vaccine for H1N1. It's safe, and it's vitally important to get it, write Art Kellermann and Katherine Harris.
Read More »
Public Health Preparedness
commentary
Flu and Far Between
Melinda Moore
Sep 22, 2010
Public Service Review: European Union
In a world where viruses travel as fast as jets, it becomesimportant for governments to share timely informationand accelerate the production and delivery of vaccines, writes Melinda Moore.
Read More »
Gulf Coast States
commentary
Human Side of Katrina Recovery Still Needs Work
Anita Chandra
Oct 17, 2009
Montgomery Advertiser
Four years after Hurricane Katrina, many people in the Gulf Coast region are still "just surviving," write Anita Chandra and Joie Acosta.
Read More »
Public Health Preparedness
commentary
Swine Flu: A Real Security Threat
Melinda Moore
Apr 30, 2009
Baltimore Sun
In the rush of constant news updates on swine flu, we must recognize that controlling the spread of this disease is not simply a health concern but also one of national security. And in today's globalized world, the spread of swine flu has become not just a U.S. national security threat but every country's national security threat, writes Melinda Moore.
Read More »
Economic Development
commentary
Obama, Congress Can Improve FEMA, Homeland Security
Melissa Flournoy
Dec 21, 2008
The Press-Register
In his campaign, President-elect Barack Obama pledged to rebuild the Gulf Coast — one of the country's most wounded, yet economically strategic, regions.To keep this laudable promise, he will need to make a sustained commitment not only to a national disaster recovery plan, but also a comprehensive economic development strategy for the Gulf Coast, writes Melissa Flournoy.
Read More »
Emergency Responders
commentary
Katrina Proved We Must Do Better Job of Protecting Our Protectors
Brian A. Jackson
Aug 13, 2007
Clarion-Ledger
Katrina Proved We Must Do Better Job of Protecting Our Protectors, in the Clarion-Ledger
Read More »
commentary
And Now, the Good Side of Facial Profiling
John D. Woodward
Feb 4, 2001
Washington Post
Published commentary by RAND staff.
Read More »