“Augmented by the President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America, issued on March 16, 2020, the US population is currently under significant social distancing restrictions, including stay-at-home orders or other similar measures in at least 45 states. 1, 2 These measures are absolutely necessary now to reduce community transmission, avoid overwhelming our hospitals, and ultimately save lives. While social distancing measures are working toward these ends, they cannot be sustained indefinitely at this scale. As COVID-19 incidence in states begins to decline, a new phase of pandemic management will be required to avoid resurgence of the virus while also allowing individuals to return to work. Civic and community engagement will also be needed at appropriately timed stages throughout mid- and late 2020. A national effort to scale up and expand local, state, and territorial case investigation and management is necessary before US communities can begin to return to “normal. ” If we can find nearly every case, and trace the contacts of each case, it will be possible, in time, to relax the bluntest approaches: the extreme social distancing measures, such as stay at home orders, and realize the commensurate social and economic benefits. ”
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