How Air Pollution Affects Health, Takeaways from the Democratic Convention, and More

August 21, 2020

There is growing evidence that poor air quality impacts health outcomes, especially for communities of color that are also exposed to a multitude of socio-economic factors affecting their health. Jennifer Perron and Samantha Gross argue that the Trump administration's attempts to roll back regulation and enforcement of air quality protections risks making the problem even worse.

With a recent poll showing that over 1/3 of Americans will not take a COVID-19 vaccine when it is available, Robert Litan says it's not too early for policymakers to begin thinking about incentives. In an opinion piece, Litan proposes a plan that would pay individuals to get the vaccine.

"Throughout the week, given the choice between policy and character, Democrats focused on character and the contrast between Joe Biden as a person and Donald Trump as a person." Elaine Kamarck reacts to the final night of the Democratic National Convention and explains why this year's event made a clear break from the past.

A note on the Brookings response to COVID-19:

The Brookings Institution campus in Washington, D.C. will be closed through at least January 4, 2021. For more information, read our full guidance here. As Brookings experts continue to assess the global impacts of COVID-19, read the latest analysis and policy recommendations at our coronavirus page or stay up to date with our coronavirus newsletter.

The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars.

Manage your newsletter preferences | Receive the Brookings Brief less often