Public health professionals are trained to protect people’s health—from controlling the spread of infectious disease to ensuring the water, air, and food are safe. When the pandemic hit in early 2020, state and local public health authorities acted swiftly to stop the spread of a novel, contagious virus. Within months, 39 states had issued explicit stay-at-home orders and 20 had travel restrictions in place. To ensure safe living conditions amid dangerous outbreaks and the economic downturn, some states and localities even suspended evictions and water and utility shut-offs.