Governance Briefing — White House issues "15 Days to Slow the Spread" COVID-19 guidance

Executive briefing: On 16 March 2020, the White House and CDC issued the "15 Days to Slow the Spread" guidelines encouraging Americans to practice social distancing, avoid gatherings over ten people, work from home where possible, and stay home when sick to curb COVID-19 transmission.

What changed

• Federal guidance formally recommended remote work, school closures, and limitations on discretionary travel for an initial 15-day period.
• Organizations were urged to cancel in-person gatherings, implement hygiene protocols, and protect vulnerable populations.
• Provided a national baseline that many state and local orders subsequently mirrored or expanded.

Why it matters

• Set early expectations for businesses to shift to remote operations and restrict meetings to comply with public health guidance.
• Informed continuity planning, occupancy limits, and visitor policies across critical infrastructure and corporate offices.
• Provided a federal reference point for communicating COVID-19 precautions to employees, customers, and partners.

Action items for operators

• Align workplace policies with distancing recommendations, including remote work defaults, meeting caps, and travel suspensions.
• Update employee communications and signage to reflect hygiene and stay-home-when-sick expectations.
• Coordinate with facilities and HR teams to manage occupancy thresholds and support at-risk personnel.