Feb. 26, 2021, entitled National Preparedness: A Summary and Select Issues by
Lauren R. Stienstra, section research manager, and
Shawn Reese, emergency management and
homeland security policy analyst:
SUMMARY
The nation has faced challenges in the effort to respond to, and recover from, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Persistent challenges related to acquisition and delivery of diagnostic tests, production and management of personal protective equipment, and development and distribution of vaccines have introduced new questions about the state of national readiness, for pandemics as well as other emergencies more broadly.
This is not the first time the nation has evaluated its state of preparedness. In the wake of the response to Hurricane Katrina,