Reframing Risk in the Wake of COVID-19

Concerns about infectious disease in mega-shelters following hurricanes should be a top priority. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the challenge of implementing standard evacuation and sheltering procedures for hurricanes during an outbreak of a respiratory disease and the lessons learned from the 2020 hurricane season must be applied to future response efforts. In this article, we examine the current risk framing for hurricane preparedness and response utilizing Prospect Theory. We also examine how the COVID-19 pandemic has complicated this traditional framing and offer a new framework for which to provide adequate sheltering following a hurricane, while minimizing the risk of respiratory disease to those seeking shelter. We argue that such a framework is necessary to protect American citizens in future hurricane seasons.