Government Roles in the COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Abstract

This paper examines roles of the government in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The paper provides theoretical background of government's roles in the market system and in the public health profession. Based on practical cases, academic studies, and public survey data during the first year of the pandemic, the paper analyzes government's roles as: protector of public health and safety, regulator of business operations and individual behaviors, and manager of economic stability and growth. The paper concludes with discussions about the characteristics of governmental intervention, critiques of governmental failure, and challenges of government collaboration.