Biodefense: after-action findings and COVID-19 response revealed opportunities to strengthen preparedness : report to congressional committees.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

United States. Government Accountability Office, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

United States.

United States. Department of Homeland Security--Rules and practice.

United States. Department of Defense--Rules and practice.

United States. Department of Health and Human Services--Rules and practice.

United States. Department of Agriculture--Rules and practice.

United States. Department of Agriculture.

United States. Department of Defense.

United States. Department of Health and Human Services.

United States. Department of Homeland Security.

Biosecurity--United States.

Biosecurity.

Communicable diseases--United States--Prevention.

Communicable diseases.

Interagency coordination--United States.

Interagency coordination.

COVID-19 (Disease)--United States.

COVID-19 (Disease).

Communicable diseases--Prevention.

Genre:

Rules.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (iii, 77 pages) : color illustrations

Place of Publication:

[Washington, D.C.] : United States Government Accountability Office, 2021.

Summary:

The COVID-19 pandemic shows how catastrophic biological incidents can cause substantial loss of life, economic damage, and require a whole-of-nation response involving multiple federal and nonfederal entities. The 2018 National Biodefense Strategy outlines specific goals and objectives to help prepare for and respond to such incidents. This report addresses: (1) interagency plans key federal agencies developed, and exercises they conducted, to help prepare for biological incidents; and (2) the extent to which exercises and real-world incidents revealed opportunities to better achieve National Biodefense Strategy objectives. GAO is making four recommendations each to DHS, DOD, HHS, and USDA, including that the secretaries work through the Biodefense Steering Committee to communicate exercise priorities and conduct monitoring.

Contents:

Background.

Agencies developed interagency response plans and conducted biological incident exercises.

Interagency exercises and real-world incidents show opportunities to better implement the national biodefense strategy.

Conclusions.

Recommendation for executive action.

Agency comments and our evaluation.

Appendices.

Notes:

"August 2021."

"GAO-21-513."

Includes bibliographical references.

Description based on online resource, PDF version; title from cover (GAO, viewed Aug. 4, 2021).

OCLC:

1262871639