Containing the Coronavirus: Challenges to Thwarting the Outbreak

Hudson Institute and the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense hosted a panel discussion on the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and how the United States can respond to the growing outbreak effectively.

Confirmed infections of the coronavirus in China have exceeded that of the 2002-2003 SARS epidemic, with thousands more suspected cases. As the number of cases increases, concerns are mounting that the global community may not be adequately prepared to prevent the disease from significantly spreading.

The virus has already spread to more than 20 countries, including the United States, with at least six confirmed cases and more than 100 suspected across 36 states. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is screening passengers arriving from China at several airports, but much remains unknown about transmission and symptoms, and a CDC-developed diagnostic test has yet to be distributed across the country.

Panel participants offered their perspectives on the role of the federal government in managing the crisis, the lack of transparency by the Communist Chinese Government, implications for U.S national security, and how the country can better prepare for when the next pandemic strikes.

The event featured U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman, co-chair of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, scholars from Hudson Institute, and other subject matter experts.