The COVID-19 pandemic has stressed community resources, created significant economic hardships, and is resulting in the deaths of thousands of Americans. To minimize those harms, Minnesota has implemented unprecedented social distancing measures and has closed certain types of businesses statewide. At the same time, hospitals and health care system are planning to ration care if scarcity arises. This presentation will examine how we share burdens and benefits in a pandemic, ranging from population-based interventions like social distancing to implementing crisis standards of care in hospitals. Presenters will discuss approaches to deciding what kinds of public health interventions are justifiable in the context of a pandemic, and some of the challenging decisions that lie ahead for policymakers and health care providers.
Moderated by Associate Professor Sarah Gollust of the School of Public Health, our panel of experts bring a wide variety of experience and perspectives to this conversation.
