History
Comparative Federalism and the Allocation of Emergency Powers
Quick fact
In Germany, the federal government can declare a 'state of emergency' for disease control, overriding state jurisdiction, while in the United States, the federal government has no such comprehensive power—most emergency authority lies with state governors, and the federal role is limited to supporting them.
Why this is interesting
When a pandemic or natural disaster strikes, who gets to call the shots—the national government or the states? The answer isn't the same in every federal country, and the difference can mean life or death.