State and local governments have great power in fighting coronavirus

"Local and state public health officials wield extraordinary powers in emergency situations such as the current coronavirus outbreak," Michael Ollove and Alex Brown report for Stateline. They can close schools and private businesses. They can restrict or shut down mass transit systems. They can cancel concerts, sporting events and political rallies. They can call up the National Guard. They can suspend medical licensing laws and protect doctors from liability claims. And they can quarantine or isolate people who might infect others."

Laws on emergency powers vary in the details, but such laws still give states and municipalities wide latitude to respond to health threats such as the coronavirus variant dubbed covid-19. That generally includes the right to declare a state of emergency, which serves both practical and psychological functions. Governments can slow the spread of disease by restricting movement or quarantining the sick without having to deal with red tape. And declaring a state of emergency may reassure members of the public who are anxious to know that officials are responding, Ollove and Brown report.

Under emergency declaration laws, authorities can also redirect health care workers to where they're most needed and help hospitals deal with the onslaught of patients. "For instance, they can decide which hospitals should have isolation wards," Ollove and Brown report. "They can order or request hospitals to release patients with lesser health needs to make room for those infected with the virus. They can take properties to create emergency medical centers if hospital space runs out. And they can transfer equipment and supplies from one hospital to another, based on the needs of the moment."

Local public health officials also play a critical role in informing the public, either directly or through the news media. Providing clear, factual information to the public can slow the spread of disease, reduce panic, and kill rumors, Ollove and Brown report.