Federal disaster declarations made by POTUS since Covid-19 began
Abstract
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in December 2019, the US government has taken sweeping actions to mitigate the spread of the virus. Some of the measures were to suspend all foreign entries, including from China, Iran, and Europe. This was done with the collaboration of federal and local governments. President Trump announced that the spread of COVID-19 was a significant threat to all national communities and the healthcare system (Wetsman, 2020). The medical facilities were informed to assess their capabilities and preparedness and be ready to surge capacity.
In January 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services in the US declared the COVID-19 as a public health emergency. The federal declaration on Corona Virus as a national emergency means that additional funds could be freed by the government to address the effects of the virus. Trump said that the declaration was to open access to $50 billion (Wetsman, 2020). The $50 billion was to be used in opening emergency operations centers and fund hospitals to handle COVID-19 cases. Also, Google was to be funded to create a website that can screen people who think they have the symptoms of the virus and direct them to the nearest health facilities. The federal declarations that have been declared by POTUS since December 2019 aim at preserving lives.
The Federal disaster declarations
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, POTUS has approved several state declarations. Around 50 states have been approved for disaster declarations after they declared a state of emergency. Some of the declarations approved include; Michigan’s and Colorado Disaster Declarations, New York Disaster declaration, New Mexico Disaster Declaration, Mississippi Disaster Declaration, Vermont Disaster Declaration, Alaska Disaster Declaration, and Disaster Declaration for the State of Wyoming among many others (“COVID-19 Emergency Declarations and Executive Orders” n.d). Emergency aid was availed to supplement the states’ economy and help to recover from the effects of the Coronavirus. Federal funding was made available to the states, local governments, and specific non-profit making organizations to meet emergency protective measures and provide counseling to the people affected across all areas of the above states.
These federal declarations by POTUS have also allowed the officials starting from the federal, state, and local governments to quickly mobilize their people and respond to the Corona Virus crisis (“President Donald J. Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Vermont,” 2020). Many laws have been suspended or modified. The federal government took the first step of placing people in quarantine. All the states required their people to isolate themselves. Schools and events were shut down, and curfews introduced. The declarations that have been made for the above states have also allowed them to acquire increased resources for more beds at local hospitals. There has also been creation of several operations centers that have facilitated screening.
After Trump declared a federal state of emergency in response to COVID-19, all the affected countries were to get disaster funds to combat the pandemic. He declared that student interests on loans would be waved (“COVID-19 Emergency Declarations and Executive Orders,” n.d). He urged all the states to set up centers that will accommodate those affected by the virus. Local governments voted for a relief package. The relief package allowed families to receive paid medical leave, enhancement of unemployment benefits, free testing for the virus, food aid, and federal Medicaid funds.
Since POTUS announced the first case of COVID-19, several states and territories in the United States have opened many emergency operations centers that are actively working to fight the virus’s spread. It was declared that the disaster now exists in all states; therefore, emergency protective measures were authorized (“COVID-19 Emergency Declarations and Executive Orders”n.d). There have been some conflicts due to some states declaring a state emergency to get an opportunity to tap funds allocation from the federal government. For instance, it was said that the governor of New York had received approximately $40 million without even declaring a state of emergency.
Conclusion
Federal declarations of the COVID-19 disaster have helped mitigate the spread of the virus that has so far claimed many American lives. Many states in the US have received funds to boost the lives of their residents at this time. However, due to some states declaring unnecessary states of emergency, the federal government should first take time to analyze its effects on the economy. Declarations of a disaster can be made in different ways. Therefore it is essential for the state first to wait, watch, and take time because it might affect or hurt the economy badly. The economy has been affected, and people’s lives changed. Therefore, the continuity of federal support to the local governments is imperative.
References
COVID-19 Emergency Declarations and Executive Orders. (n.d.). Retrieved from
President Donald J. Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for the State of
Vermont. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2020/04/08/president- Donald-j-trump-approves-major-disaster-declaration-state-Vermont
Wetsman, N. (2020, March 13). Trump issues emergency declaration for coronavirus
pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/13/21175637/coronavirus-trump-national-emergency-pandemic-announcement