Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont will co-chair a National Governors Association panel tasked with leading regional responses to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, his administration announced in a Wednesday press release.
Lamont and Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee will head a Pandemic and Disaster Response Task Force, which will work to coordinate response efforts with the Federal Emergency Management Administration and the National Guard. The group will tackle issues like COVID-19 testing and vaccination, as well as PPE and supply chain concerns. The task force will also handle cybersecurity and health care, according to the press release.
In a statement, Lamont said Connecticut was “hit early and hard” by the virus. He said he was eager to exchange ideas with other governors.
“Our state has provided leadership and ingenuity, as we know our approach saved lives. Our public health professionals set up nation-leading testing and contact tracing infrastructure, which have assisted in our response to the coronavirus pandemic. We also worked with our federal partners as we responded to multiple severe weather events,” Lamont said.
In addition to the panel on pandemics and disasters, the governors association also announced two other task forces: one on economic recovery and another on community renewal. According to the group, the task forces will replace previously-existing committees and will “foster a more nimble response.”