Preparing for the next pandemic: Reflections and recommendations from Florida.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Policy

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic revealed critical gaps in infectious disease preparedness and response (PPR) at the state level.
• Florida's unique approach to COVID-19, with fewer restrictions, necessitates an examination of its specific PPR needs.
• There is a lack of stakeholder-informed recommendations for state-level pandemic preparedness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically examine the perspectives of key stakeholders in Florida regarding pandemic preparedness and response.
• To gather insights on challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and recommendations for future pandemic planning.
• To inform the development of effective, state-specific PPR strategies.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 25 semi-structured interviews with leaders from government, academia, and the private sector in Florida.
• Explored participants' experiences with COVID-19 challenges and their considerations for future pandemics.
• Employed qualitative content analysis (QCA) to analyze interview transcripts and notes.

Main Results:

• Identified six key sub-categories within PPR: public health capacities, disease transmission mitigation, roles and relationships, information dissemination, minimizing adverse effects, and public health culture.
• Stakeholders proposed a pandemic playbook to clarify agency responsibilities and streamline procedural waivers, addressing neglected plans and jurisdictional tensions.
• Discussions revealed diverse views on the extent of closures and restrictions for disease mitigation, alongside a focus on minimizing social and economic impacts.

Conclusions:

• The study underscores the need for consensus-building across ideological and governmental divides (federal, state, county) for effective PPR.
• A successful pandemic response must balance disease transmission mitigation with minimizing adverse social and economic effects.
• Participants advocated for a unified, coordinated approach to future pandemics, integrating health and economic considerations.