It is good to see state governors increasingly looking for ways to reopen the economy, for, as we have repeatedly argued, the current lockdown can be only a short-term response to the pandemic. People’s lives and livelihoods depend on returning to economic and social activity as soon as it can be done safely. So, new state-level discussions and coordination are welcome news.

Ever since the coronavirus outbreak, decisions about whether to close schools and restrict business activities have been made by governors and local officials. This is exactly how the nation’s federal republican structure is set up. This is how it should be.