Governor Polis on States Forming Public Health Alliance Amid Federal Gaps

Formation of the Governor's Public Health Alliance

• 🤝 Fifteen US states and territories have formed a new Governor's Public Health Alliance to address gaps in federal public health.
• 💡 The alliance aims to share data, coordinate policy, and prepare for future pandemics and everyday infectious disease threats.
• 🎯 This initiative is a response to perceived federal funding cuts and policy changes that leave states and citizens at risk.

Rationale for State-Level Action

• 📉 The federal government is withdrawing from providing scientific advice and support to states and cities.
• ⚖️ States are pooling resources to achieve greater economies of scale in areas like stockpiling equipment and researching treatments.
• 🌐 The alliance seeks to be a liaison with international health entities and ensure preparedness for outbreaks.

Addressing Federal Deficiencies

• 🚫 The federal government is currently shut down and, even when open, is expected to be severely diminished, particularly the CDC.
• ⚠️ Governors want full transparency into federal capabilities regarding national stockpiles of vaccines, PPE, and other critical supplies.
• ❓ States are acting to reduce uncertainty and fulfill their responsibility to be ready for public health challenges.

Alliance Funding and Scope

• 💰 The core of the organization is funded through a nonprofit entity.
• 🤝 There is potential for states to purchase equipment together through this entity to gain cost efficiencies.
• 🧩 The alliance is not about creating a patchwork of conflicting advice but about sharing resources and best practices among states.

Federal Troops and State Authority

• 🚨 Governors express concern over the federal government sending troops into states against their will, impacting public safety and state authority.
• 🗣️ The situation is likened to a Republican state facing federal intervention, highlighting the erosion of trust and the feeling of federal overreach.
• 🛡️ The National Guard is critical for state-level public safety, and their federalization decreases public safety.