Planning for Pandemic: A New Model for Governing Public Health Emergencies

Imagine the following scenario: The Centers for Disease Control confirms the appearance of a heretofore-unknown virus. It appears highly contagious since it is spreading easily between human beings. At this initial stage, the largest cohort of victims is youth in their late teens. There is no geographic locus of the disease or single identifiable index case from which the virus's origin can be determined. The disease is independently prevalent in many geographic areas, particularly among those living in the inner cities of major metropolitan areas in the United States and in some of the densely populated immigrant enclaves in European cities. At this point, the mortality is uncertain although in its early phase it is at least as deadly as a seasonal flu. It is the end of May: young people are dreading final exams, anticipating their high school and college graduations, and looking forward to the many end of the year celebrations. The weather is getting warmer, and the public pools are about to open. Despite the hot weather, the prevalence of the disease is not significantly waning. Americans are nervous. They want answers. They expect their government to protect them.