The American College of Preventive Medicine opposes any effort to prematurely end social distancing as a national strategy to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are alarmed that the President is seriously considering ending social distancing in favor of a short-term economic boost. This is a decision that will cost lives.
The American College of Preventive Medicine believes the focus needs to be on prevention and public health. We recommend three immediate actions:
- Secretary Azar and CDC Director Redfield must immediately refocus the communications and decision-making for public health response recommendations back to the public health and medical experts within the Department of Health and Human Services and its agencies.
- The federal government must use established decision making processes, including the official CDC Planning and Decision Making Process (PDMP) facilitation system to develop timelines and data-based triggers for implementing and reversing different social distancing interventions.
- CDC should issue clear testing guidance for state and local health departments to manage growing public demand.
We can make a positive impact on the course of this pandemic, doing so will require commitment from all parts of society to follow the guidance of public health experts.
