National Coronavirus Recovery Commission Releases Recommendations to Reopen America

The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission held its second meeting today where it released 47 specific recommendations to reopen America amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to an online press release from the Heritage Foundation, the recommendations are “organized by the sectors of government and society in the best legal and practical position to execute the recommendations.”

The recommendations, which require an “all of society” approach, call on governors to use local data to begin the reopening process in a safe, timely measure.

The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission used input from 17 experts, government officials, public health, disaster response and relief, academia and education, business, and the faith community to establish their recommendations.

National Coronavirus Recovery Commission Chairman  Kay Cole James, president of The Heritage Foundation, said the disease and the economic impact from it must both be defeated.

“These initial recommendations for recovery provide governments at every level and the American people with a framework to slow the spread of the virus and to prudently begin getting back to work and to some sense of normal,” James said.

Previously, the commission announced a five-phase plan. The recommendations released Monday cover the first two phases. Phase one highlights a plan to “return to a more normal level of business activity at the regional level based on scientific data.” Phase two outlines the steps to “slow the spread of the coronavirus while expanding testing, reporting, and contact tracing.”

“The commission is moving quickly to make sure our five-phase plan will save both lives and livelihoods,” James said. “I look forward to bringing these ideas to President Trump’s Great American Economic Revival effort and to the American people.”

Last week, President Donald Trump announced a team that would lead a commission to begin reopening America’s economy, saying he would be speaking with them “over the next very short period of time.”

A summary of each recommendation can be found on the commission’s website.