1/5 It was a real pleasure researching this piece on social distancing - thanks to @HowardMarkel Dr Martin Cetron @mlipsitch and all the others who helped... #Covid_19
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…
2/ We should not be surprised Geroge W grasped this with both hands. He and Cheney had good reason to be worried by existential threats. The 9/11 attacks in 2001 were quickly followed by anthrax, early outbreaks of H5N1 and Sars. Here's their pandemic severity index...
3/ Bush also did more than anyone to tame the HIV epidemic by launching the game-changing @PEPFAR programme... he did a huge amount in public health, saving millions and should be credited with it...
4/ I didn't get this in, but the most vocal opposition to social distancing came from the public health community, led by Dr D Henderson of smallpox fame. One source suggested that this group feared (still fears?) being seen as antediluvian by colleagues
5/5 The biggest irony is a Republican President built the evidence base and plan only for it to be dropped in the US and adopted across China and much of south east Asia. I'm guessing Cheney won't be best pleased about that....
All here and free to read: telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…
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