The NHSS acknowledges the interdependent relationship between national security, homeland
security, and national health security. Simply put, the health of a nation’s people has a direct
impact on that nation’s security.11 Any large-scale incident such as a natural disaster or an
infectious disease pandemic that affects the health of critical workers and compromises a
society’s ability to provide food, water, health care and, more broadly, economic productivity
endangers the security and stability of that society. Conversely, a society that can accommodate
and function effectively during such an incident is inherently more secure. Approaching this
relationship from the perspective of security, a breach to national security could negatively affect
the health of the Nation’s people. Prevention is a cornerstone to both health security and
national security.