A threat to public health, such as a rampaging virus, is no time for a muddled chain of command and contradictory decision-making. This title, re-issued with a new preface assessing leadership during the COVID-19 outbreak, explores crucial relationships among political leaders, public health officials, and journalists to see why leadership confusion develops. As the problematic COVID-19 response has shown, the reluctance of politicians to risk alarm can run counter to the public health need to prepare for worse cases. Many leaders will seek high visibility during a public health crisis, but politicians are not medical experts, and the more they speak, the more they risk disseminating harmful information. How to achieve the right balance is the essence of this book, which looks at overarching issues of leadership and public health administration, and examines 5 emergencies in-depth, including the 2001 anthrax attacks, the 1993 cryptosporidium outbreaks, and the 2003 SARS outbreak.