A planning committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine will organize a workshop series to examine broadly the response to COVID-19 in the US and abroad. These virtual events (one-day workshop in March 2021 and four-day workshop in September 2021) will host retrospective and prospective discussions on the broad impacts of the rapidly-evolving pandemic on human health and society. Events will explore new understandings, challenges, and emerging data for leaders in governments, public health systems, the private sector, and communities to consider in the ongoing pandemic responses with a view towards enhancing resilience and preparedness for future outbreaks.
Specifically, the workshop will feature invited presentations, panel discussions and breakout rooms on the following topics:

• The multifactorial nature of COVID-19 as a syndemic, including its amplification of existing health threats and the socioeconomic risk factors that impact disease outcomes in different communities
• Anticipated long-term impacts of the pandemic on health, both direct (physiological) and indirect (societal), at the individual and the population level
• The impacts of COVID-19 on human health equity, taking into consideration the two-way relationship between health outcomes and structural or social determinants of health.
• Incorporating best practices and lessons learned from around the world to examine the role of social sciences on building a nuanced, transdisciplinary approach that strives to ensure equity in continued COVID-19 recovery efforts and mitigation of future emergent diseases.
• Takeaways from the COVID-19 experience for leaders in government, communities, and the private sector on actionable and sustainable ways to collaborate, manage risk, build trust, and communicate effectively for public health, particularly in the context of uncertainty during public health emergencies
• The impact of dis- and misinformation and how it can be managed to maintain public trust and optimize adherence to health behavioral guidance in a time of crisis
• Ensuring lessons (re-)learned from COVID-19 are captured effectively in health systems that assure a more proactive approach pandemic preparedness and response.

Speakers and discussants will contribute perspectives from government, academia, private and nonprofit sectors. The global distribution of contributors to this workshop will reflect the global nature of the topic being addressed. The planning committee will organize the workshop, select and invite speakers and discussants, and moderate the discussions. A proceedings of the presentations and discussions will be prepared by a designated rapporteur in accordance with institutional guidelines.