TITLE:
CDC Policy Changes during the COVID-19 Pandemic
AUTHORS:
Saitejaswi Kanuri, Allison Chen, Daniel J. Barnett, Edbert B. Hsu
KEYWORDS:
COVID-19, CDC COVID-19 Guidance, COVID-19 Policy, Disaster Preparedness
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.12 No.6,
June
19,
2024
ABSTRACT: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided guidance to the nation’s public, often in the face of extremely challenging and novel circumstances. We review the CDC’s COVID-19 policies and the subsequent public response pertaining to masks, social gatherings, travel, return to work/school, quarantine, and vaccinations, between January 2020 and April 2023. Rapidly changing conditions as well as evolving science and information necessitated frequent updates to CDC guidance, however, the decision-making processes, implementation, and communication regarding changes in policy have drawn criticism. Identifying areas for improvement and implementing strategies to address these concerns will be of importance to better prepare the nation for issuing and communicating public health guidance during future pandemics.