Executive Order 13996

Executive Order 13996, officially titled Establishing the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board and Ensuring a Sustainable Public Health Workforce for COVID-19 and Other Biological Threats, was signed on January 21, 2021, and is the twelfth executive order signed by U.S. President Joe Biden. The order indicates that the United States should assemble the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board and guarantee a sustainable public health workforce to fight against the COVID-19 virus and other biological threats.

Provisions
In this order, the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board will be established and controlled by the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President. The board should include the Chairperson-designated representatives of a variety of management departments and institutions. Representatives from a variety of executive departments and agencies will serve on the Testing Board, as determined by the President. The Board will implement a unified government-wide testing approach including the establishment of national testing and public health workforce strategy, expanding supplies of tests, increasing laboratory testing capacity, improvement of public health workers, supporting test testing for schools and priority populations, and ensuring clarity. It will include a national testing approach and public health workforce strategy. The HHS Secretary shall also provide state and local health agencies with technical support and training for employees of public health.

Effects
The order will lead to the establishment of the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board. The hope is that the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board will increase testing efforts and begin the process of increasing healthcare supplies through the use of the Defense Production Act.