Yes, we should – especially if you do not have access to 24/7 care. Let’s redefine “being afraid”
Short answer: Be careful of the false narrative happening.
(Heads up – This post is still fully based on science – but is probably not in my normal friendly-neighbor voice. I’ll bring that back this week when we talk about Thanksgiving. For today, I used my advocacy voice. The claims I make are still science and data – you can find those links at the end. But through the lens of the ‘preferential option for the poor’ and my own advocacy research work.)
Y’all, I’m at a bit of a loss for words from frustration and ‘what is happening?’ thoughts. This is not a political statement – this is me speaking as a scientist, an epidemiologist. I would say this about anyone in leadership. ๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. Removing your mask when you are still sick, disregard for Secret Service agents/reporters (several are now sick) and WH staff (2 housekeepers are now sick) while you are contagious, not following protocols in an enclosed vehicle, and comparing COVID to the flu – is as opposite as you can get from the science we know about COVID-19. There has been and continues to be a false narrative about COVID and that difference seems to be growing along party lines. (At the end of the post, I’ve re-linked to those the data on why this is not the flu, why masks are necessary, and the debunking the false narrative.)
๐๐จ, ๐ฐ๐ก๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐? ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐. ๐๐๐ญ’๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก. ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฌ๐, ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ง๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ, ๐๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ. ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ซ๐๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ข๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฆ. ๐๐ญ’๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐ฐ๐ก๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐ง ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฏ๐ – ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ’๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ง๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ซ, ๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฆ.
So, why should we be afraid with cautious wisdom? Because it is a new virus that is highly contagious, has killed more than 210k in the US (6x times MORE than the flu), has long-lasting effects in many that do not die, and disproportionally affects those most in need. In other words, not listening to science around COVID-19 has real-life repercussions. And, that burden is not equal.
๐๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ.
๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐: Early on in the pandemic, NYC was hit hard. But, the majority of people who were hospitalized and died were not from Manhattan (wealthier part of NYC). They were from Brooklyn and Queens. And, the deaths skewed younger among minority groups. Why? Several reasons. But, a main one was waiting too long to get care when you were sick.
๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐: We are seeing “a historic decimation of Hispanic, Latino communities across the Southern part of the United States…the virus is taking away a whole generation of mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters [in those communities] – stated last week by my friend, colleague, and one of the most respected experts in infectious diseases, Dr. Peter Hotez. I’m linking to his full Congressional statement he made and would encourage you to read the full article. These communities are deeply affected by lack of testing, poverty, and many are essential workers.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฎ๐ฌ? ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฌ, ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐.
–This means I keep my mask on, especially while I’m contagious, but even when I go to the gym, church, a restaurant. It means I pay attention to not infect others around me that do not have health insurance or savings.
–It means I walk in wisdom according to the science. (And, if you’re a person of faith, we walk according to the Good Samaritan and teachings of Jesus. We have Faith Over Fear (see the link below)).
–It means we believe the science. For those in the public eye, we lead with integrity and by example. Do not believe the false narrative.
–Leadership matters.
-Friendly neighbor epidemiologist
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ:
1. COVID’s toll is not equal. https://tinyurl.com/y48mbg47
2. How the pandemic defeated America https://tinyurl.com/yxz5agl2
3. Be careful about the false narrative โ 8 myths debunked include 99% recover, hospitalizations are going down, test numbers are being inflated, this took us by surprise. https://tinyurl.com/y64klldr
4. Is COVID-19 like the flu? (2nd link explains how to read the CDC data correctly) https://tinyurl.com/y93tekab https://tinyurl.com/yyzqznz8
5. 99% โrecoverโ https://tinyurl.com/ybz5846c
6. Will herd immunity work? https://tinyurl.com/y6qy4xay https://tinyurl.com/yyu3u6gq https://tinyurl.com/y2xbbh52 https://tinyurl.com/yypydyt2
7. COVID-19 is not the flu, cases are not inflated. https://tinyurl.com/yyutx479
8. Did the CDC say 6% of deaths were from COVID? Is it true that all deaths are counted as COVID-19? – https://tinyurl.com/yxblsl3k
9. Masks work: The strongest evidence we have https://tinyurl.com/yxkymuof https://tinyurl.com/y2ux4owk
10. Mask 101: Why they work, exposure time, how to wear and disinfect your mask correctly https://tinyurl.com/yxvayp76 https://tinyurl.com/y6zxl2u3
11. Myth-busters for mask: A LONG post debunking common myths about masks (masks work realy well, clearing up what the surgeon general/WHO said, CO2 fears) https://tinyurl.com/y642sefb
12. Why state-wide mask mandates work! – https://tinyurl.com/yxu6gl4r
13. A reminder of when someone is contagious and the importance of masks (and a note on bipartisan science) – https://tinyurl.com/y4rfjmc5
14. Voting safety during COVID-19 – https://tinyurl.com/y29fm3g5 https://tinyurl.com/y64vks4b
15. Faith over fear – https://tinyurl.com/yxsaatcf
16. Healthcare expenditures in the US: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2020/jan/us-health-care-global-perspective-2019 https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2019/08/08/how-us-healthcare-spending-per-capita-compares-with-other-countries-infographic/#6fa4cbf8575d
17. Dr. Peter Hotez: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/coronavirus-causing-historic-decimation-latinos-medical-expert-says-n1241576
