Arguments in the debate over responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
State and local government responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have varied widely. Those responses have generated a similar variety of responses from pundits, policy makers, lawmakers, and more. This article highlights the arguments over government responses in several areas:
- Universal or mass testing
- Mask requirements
- School closures
- Travel restrictions
- Lockdown/stay-at-home orders
- Expansion of absentee or mail-in voting
- Religious service restrictions
This article is a hub for our coverage of arguments within each area of debate. It includes links to policy-specific pages that provide an overview of the arguments within each topic. It also includes links to state-specific pages that dive into the debate that's happening in each state about a variety of policies.
These arguments come from a variety of sources, including public officials, journalists, think tanks, economists, scientists, and other stakeholders. We encourage you to share the debates happening in your local community to editor@ballotpedia.org.
For an overview of federal, state, and local responses around the country, click here.
Topics and arguments
Testing
The main areas of disagreement about universal or mass testing for COVID-19 before the economy can reopen are:
Mask requirements
The main areas of disagreement about mask requirements during the coronavirus pandemic are:
School closures
The main areas of disagreement about school closures during the coronavirus pandemic are:
- In favor of school closures
- School closures are necessary to prevent the spread of the virus
- Evidence from past pandemics supports the efficacy of school closures
- Reopening Universities will increase COVID-19 spread
- Reopening schools puts people of color at higher risk
- Keep schools closed because COVID-19 outbreaks are inevitable
- Against school closures
- School closures are ineffective in preventing the spread of the virus
- School closures pose significant unintended consequences
- School closures and reopening plans have disparate economic effects
- School closures and distance learning exacerbate digital divide
- Reopen schools to protect the economy
- School-aged children have reduced COVID-19 risk
Travel restrictions
The main areas of disagreement about travel restrictions are:
Lockdown/stay-at-home orders
The main areas of disagreement about lockdown/stay-at-home orders are:
- Against lockdown/stay-at-home orders
- Lockdown/stay-at-home orders are unnecessary
- Lockdown/stay-at-home orders are worse than the coronavirus pandemic itself
- Lockdown/stay-at-home orders are illegal
- Lockdown/stay-at-home orders are unpopular
- Lockdown/stay-at-home orders are unenforceable
- Lockdown/stay-at-home orders go too far
- Lockdown/stay-at-home orders create COVID-19 risks
Expansion of absentee/mail-in voting
The main areas of disagreement about the expansion of absentee/mail-in voting are:
- In favor of absentee/mail-in voting expansion
- Absentee/mail-in voting reduces the spread of COVID-19
- Absentee/mail-in voting expansion is necessary to facilitate access to voting
- Expanding absentee/mail-in voting is unlikely to increase fraud
- Expanding vote-by-mail is fair to both major parties
- States have the capacity and experience to expand absentee/mail-in voting
- Against absentee/mail-in voting expansion
- Absentee/mail-in voting is less reliable than in-person voting
- Absentee/mail-in voting systems can fail
- Absentee/mail-in voting poses a higher risk for fraud and manipulation
- It is unnecessary to change voting systems in response to COVID-19
- The expansion of absentee/mail-in voting systems open the door to flawed election policies
- Expansion of absentee/mail-in voting systems creates election controversies (“blue shift”)
Religious service restrictions
The main areas of disagreement about religious service restrictions are:
- In favor of religious service restrictions
- Public safety priorities take precedence over religious interests
- Religious services present a higher risk than other social and business activities
- Restrictions on physical gatherings do not preclude religious practices
- Limiting religious gatherings during a pandemic aligns with most religious values
- Skepticism of religious restrictions has harmed religious communities during COVID-19
- In-person religious gatherings are not essential services
- Religious gathering restrictions do not discriminate against faiths
- Against religious service restrictions
- Religious service restrictions violate the First Amendment and religious freedom
- Religious services are essential
- Religious service restrictions put church viability at risk
- There is insufficient evidence that religious services pose a higher risk than other social and business activities
- COVID-19 religious restrictions unfair to some faiths
General resources
The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.
Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
- National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor
- U.S. Department of Education
- World Health Organization
- Trends in Number of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in the US Reported to CDC, by State/Territory
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations, Our World in Data (Number of vaccines administered)
- Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker, New York Times (Progress of vaccine trials)
See also
- Ballotpedia: Political responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
- State government responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
- Government official, politician, and candidate deaths, diagnoses, and quarantines due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021
- Changes to ballot measure campaigns, procedures, and policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2022
- Ballotpedia's elections calendar
External links
The external resources listed below are related to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor
- U.S. Department of Education
- World Health Organization
Footnotes
