Legislative Prospectus: Maintaining Public Health's Legal Authority to Prevent Disease Spread
January 19, 2022
During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health authority has been used to require the use of face masks and encourage social distancing, and other measures. In several states these legal authorities have been challenged and, in many jurisdictions, limited or eliminated by the legislature. Maintaining the legal authority to prevent and control the spread of infectious disease is crucial to preparing for and addressing disease outbreaks.