Center for Health Security to host Clade X, a national policy-level pandemic tabletop exercise

November 16, 2017 – The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security will host a pandemic tabletop exercise on May 15, 2018, in Washington, DC, to illustrate high-level strategic decisions and policies that the United States and the world will need to pursue in order to prevent a severe pandemic, or diminish its consequences should prevention fail.

The day-long exercise, “Clade X,” will simulate a series of National Security Council–convened meetings of 10 government leaders, played by prominent individuals who previously occupied senior leadership positions within the government. Players will be presented with a scenario that highlights unresolved real-world policy issues that could be solved with sufficient political will and attention now and in the future.

“We recognize that effective policies are born of deeply informed answers to the right what-if questions,” said Eric Toner, MD, a senior associate at the Center and Clade X project lead. “That’s our goal for Clade X, and why an exercise of this kind is such a valuable and compelling way to help leaders gain a fuller understanding of pandemics and the decisions needed to prevent, prepare for, and respond to biological threats.”

Similar to the Center’s two previous exercises, Dark Winter and Atlantic Storm, Clade X will educate senior leaders at the highest level of US government, as well as members of the policy and preparedness community and the general public. This is distinct from many other forms of tabletop exercises that test protocols or technical policies of a specific organization.

The exercise is supported by funding from the Open Philanthropy Project.

Information about limited audience seating will be available at a later date. Members of the media interested in attending Clade X should contact Nick Alexopulos; a media advisory will be released closer to the exercise date.

About the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security:
The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security works to protect people from epidemics and disasters and build resilient communities through innovative scholarship, engagement, and research that strengthens the organizations, systems, policies, and programs essential to preventing and responding to public health crises. The Center is part of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and is located in Baltimore, MD.