CT Coronavirus: 7 States Form Regional Council To Reopen Economy

CONNECTICUT — Gov. Ned Lamont and the governors of six neighboring states announced their appointees who will serve on the regional council to restore the economy and get people back to work.

The appointees include one health expert, one economic development expert, and the respective chief of staff from each state.

These are the other states on the council and their respective governors:

• New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo
• Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker
• Rhode Island, Gov. Gina Raimondo
• New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy
• Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf
• Delaware, Gov. John Carney

Lamont stressed that in Connecticut, this multi-state council is a separate entity from the Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group, which is the localized panel of health, business, and education experts who will consult with the Lamont administration and the state’s legislative leaders on the reopening of the economy. Members who will serve on the Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group will be announced in the coming days.

"One thing that’s undeniable is that this virus does not stop at the border of any county, state, or country, but the impact is the same when it comes to our respective economies and healthcare systems," Lamont said. "Working as a regional coalition to make the right decisions will lead to the best public health results for all of our residents. We must solve these problems together."

The appointees from each state serving on the regional, multi-state council include:

Connecticut

• Dr. Albert Ko: professor of epidemiology and medicine and department chair at the Yale School of Public Health
• Indra Nooyi: co-chair of the nonprofit AdvanceCT and former chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
• Paul Mounds, Jr.: chief of staff for Gov. Lamont

New York

• Michael Dowling: president of Northwell Health
• Robert Mujica: director of NYS Division of the Budget
• Melissa DeRosa: secretary to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo

See also: CT Coronavirus: Leaders Share Reopening Plan, What Is Needed

Massachusetts

• Lauren Peters: undersecretary at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services
• Michael Kennealy: secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
• Kristen Lepore: chief of staff for Gov. Baker

Rhode Island

• Nicole Alexander-Scott: director of the Rhode Island Department of Health
• Stefan Pryor: Rhode Island commerce secretary
• David Ortiz: chief of staff for Gov. Raimondo

New Jersey

• Richard Besser: president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Jeh Johnson: former secretary of homeland security under President Obama
• George Helmy: chief of staff for Gov. Murphy

Pennsylvania

• Dr. Rachel Levine: secretary of the state Department of Health
• Dennis Davin: secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development
• Michael Brunelle: chief of staff for Gov. Wolf

Delaware

• Dr. Kara Odom Walker: secretary for the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services
• Kurt Foreman: president of the Delaware Prosperity Partnership
• Sheila Grant: chief of staff for Gov. John Carney

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Cuomo said, “We have been collaborating closely with our neighboring states to combat this pandemic through a uniform approach to social distancing and density reduction and it has been working well. Now it is time to start opening the valve slowly and carefully while watching the infection rate meter so we don't trigger a second wave of new infections. This is not a light switch that we can just flick on and everything goes back to normal - we have to come up with a smart, consistent strategy to restart the systems we shut down and get people back to work, and to the extent possible we want to do that through a regional approach because we are a regional economy. New York is partnering with these five states to create a multi-state council that will come up with a framework based on science and data to gradually ease the stay at home restrictions and get our economy back up and running.”

Baker said, “The Baker-Polito administration looks forward to participating in discussions with neighboring states and experts regarding the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Massachusetts also remains focused on efforts to expand testing, ensure hospital capacity and provide the necessary PPE to those on the front lines to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities."

Raimondo said, “States are taking the lead as we fight to slow the spread of coronavirus and save lives. I’m proud of the steps we’ve taken, and I'm constantly thinking about what it will take to safely reopen our economy. But we know that this virus does not recognize borders, and it’s clear we need a strong, coordinated regional approach to avoid a second wave of this disease. I’m grateful to my fellow governors for their leadership during this crisis and I’m confident that this new partnership will support our efforts to get Rhode Islanders – and all Americans – back to work safely."

Murphy said, “No one has given more thought or is more eager to restart our economy than I am, but if we don’t get the sequencing right, we put more lives at risk. The only path to a sustainable economic recovery is through a strong healthcare recovery. Then, and only then, do we position ourselves to fully ignite our economy and get the residents of our state back to work while minimizing the danger of this disease. A coordinated, regional approach, informed by a multi-state council of experts, will help us avoid a major setback with potentially disastrous consequences. I look forward to the day when the facts on the ground allow us to ease our restrictions and move our regional economy forward.

Wolf said, “Our highest priority remains protecting the health and safety of Pennsylvanians. While my administration continues to take critical steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, I also recognize that we must look ahead and take a measured, careful approach to prepare for the future while ensuring that we don't undo all of our efforts. Pennsylvania will work collaboratively with our partners both in state and in surrounding states to develop a comprehensive strategy that first focuses on health but also addresses the need to gradually restore our economy."

Carney said, “We still have a situation in Delaware that is getting worse. Infections of COVID-19 and hospitalizations are rising. Delawareans should stay home. Don’t go out in public unnecessarily. Don’t visit Delaware unless you need to see a doctor, or care for a family member. You'll only increase everyone’s risk. At the same time, we need to look forward. We need a consistent approach for moving our states out of this crisis, when that day comes. I’m grateful for the partnership of my fellow Governors in the region. They are all working around-the-clock to prevent surges in COVID-19 cases, protect hospital capacity for the most critically-ill patients, and save lives. We’ll get through this by working together."