Biden Executive Order Details New COVID-19 Response Plan

President Joe Biden recently signed an executive order to combat COVID-19 and prepare for future biological and pandemic threats. 

“The Federal Government must act swiftly and aggressively to combat coronavirus disease 2019. To that end, this order creates the position of Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President and takes other steps to organize the White House and activities of the Federal Government to combat COVID-19 and prepare for future biological and pandemic threats,” Biden stated in the executive order.

Section One of the executive order signed Wednesday directs the COVID-19 Response Coordinator to report directly to the President and assist the President, executive departments, and agencies in responding to the current pandemic.

On Wednesday, Biden tapped Jeff Zients as coordinator of the president’s COVID-19 Task Force. In this position, he will oversee everything being done across the federal government to tackle the virus, including deciding travel restrictions and managing the vaccine supply chain.

In the executive order, Biden directed Zients to coordinate all parts of the COVID-19 response efforts and perform additional duties directed his way.

These duties include to reduce disparities in the response, care, and treatment of COVID-19, including racial and ethnic disparities, as well as help to boost production, supply, and distribution of personal protective equipment, vaccines, tests, and other supplies for COVID-19 response.

Additionally, Zients will help to support the safe reopening and operation of schools, child-care providers, and Head Start programs. This will ensure the continuity of education during the pandemic. 

The second section of the executive order called on Elizabeth Cameron, Senior Director of Global Health Security and Biodefense, to oversee the Global Health Security Agenda Interagency Review Council, monitor current and emerging biological threats.

Cameron must report to the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), Jake Sullivan, and Zients with any matters relating to COVID-19.

Previously, Cameron held the same title under President Obama and briefly under President Trump. 

The third section of President Biden’s executive order touched on the US’ overall responsibility to identify, monitor, and if necessary, respond to emerging biological and pandemic threats. 

Specifically, APNSA must call on the National Security Council (NSC) Principals Committee to address any potential threats and advise President Biden on the global response to and recovery from COVID-19.

These initiatives include the intersection of the COVID-19 response and other national security equities, global health security, strengthening the World Health Organization, public health, access to healthcare, and the secondary impacts of COVID-19, as well as emerging biological risks and threats, the executive order stated. 

The APNSA must also coordinate with other relative agencies and Zients to complete a review of and recommend actions to the President regarding emerging domestic and global biological risks and national biopreparedness policies.

The actions should include lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the readiness of the pandemic supply chain, healthcare workforce, and hospitals, the development of pandemic framework readiness with triggers for when to take action, the development and distribution of medical countermeasures, and responsibilities between the Federal Government and state, local, tribal, and territorial authorities.

Additional actions necessary to include in the review include: 

• Pandemic boarder readiness
• Epidemic forecasting
• Public health data modernization
• Bio-related intelligence
• Bioeconomic investments
• Biotechnology risks
• Territorial preparedness for biological events

Finally, the fourth section of the executive order prompted resolution of issues related to the US’ COVID-19 response as a whole. 

The head of the agencies must bring any procedural, departmental, legal, or funding obstacle of the COVID-19 response to the attention of Zients. Zients will then coordinate with agencies, including the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, Joseph J. Grogan, and APNSA.

Additionally, Zients should bring any issues that require Presidential guidance or decision-making to President Biden immediately.