Rebekah Jones was the architect and manager of the state’s COVID-19 dashboard, which had received praise from the White House for its accessibility. Many now worry that data transparency will be lost with her departure.
During the pandemic, most governors have signed executive orders waiving requirements regarding medical licensing and health facilities. Republicans want to shield businesses broadly from civil liability for the spread of COVID-19.
Public schools face a litany of problems relating to COVID-19 that include significant drops in funding, distribution issues for school lunch programs, lack of broadband access and bus driver protection.
Airports will begin implementing technology, like thermal cameras and sanitation booths, to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission within airports. Air travel has decreased as much as 95 percent during the pandemic.
COVID-19 has accelerated demand for telemedicine services. Recently, state legislatures have introduced bills that provide remedies for issues such as reimbursement and credentialing that have slowed implementation.
For students who were already struggling in school, the coronavirus pandemic might be too much for them to manage. Miami-Dade is working hard to ensure these students don’t get left behind.
Amid coronavirus concerns, Connecticut has decided to send out absentee ballot applications to all registered voters in the state to reduce the number of in-person voters for the primary and November elections.
Liberals are calling for an expansion of government, while conservatives say budget shortfalls must lead to cuts. One scholar argues that after the current crisis passes, states will end up looking much like they do now.
Gov. Pritzker wants a contact tracing system before reopening the state, but officials estimate they would need nearly 4,000 workers to make that happen. Officials hope to have a tracking method in place by the end of May.
Despite a huge drop in revenues, states are taking some measures to relieve pressure on taxpayers and have introduced bills that extend filing deadlines, remove penalties and limit certain liabilities for now.
Health officials estimate that nationwide contact tracing is needed for states to safely reopen their economies. But without funding or a unified plan, many are worried about the effectiveness of a state-by-state approach.