1. Grateful to those who spoke with me for this story and the many readers who engaged with it.
I know these issues stir strong feelings — people's lives are on the line — and tried to read as many replies/DMs as possible. Can't respond to everyone so hoping a thread is useful.
I know these issues stir strong feelings — people's lives are on the line — and tried to read as many replies/DMs as possible. Can't respond to everyone so hoping a thread is useful.
2. But first: wanted to acknowledge that many people in public health strongly disputed the idea behind the story, arguing that it missed their message.
Here's a thread from the passionate @gregggonsalves, who explains at length how he thinks I failed.
Here's a thread from the passionate @gregggonsalves, who explains at length how he thinks I failed.
3. At the same time, Gregg's colleague @NAChristakis seizes on the argument that animated the story: there are real questions about experts' credibility if they're perceived to be making a U-turn. (Full disclosure: I prefer this interpretation.)
4. One other note on the response: I've heard, post-publication, from some doctors and Covid experts who say they feel boxed in: that they want to warn about public health risks of the new protests, but are worried they'll be perceived as attacking the movement or worse.
5. The story hinges on a simple question: why have so many outspoken Covid experts said nothing or even encouraged people to participate in the protests after George Floyd's death, given everything they warned about mass gatherings, for months?
6. Many in public health are telling me the answers are obvious: communities of color are under siege from Covid. We can't wait another day to fix systemic racism that's made coronavirus worse. The video of George Floyd's death was a ghastly reminder of the need for action.
7. But it's clear — just scan the reaction on Twitter! — that many Americans are confused about why this urgency needs to come amid a pandemic that's shuttered so much. And it's a key reason why public health experts' credibility is at risk, even if some haven't realized it yet.
8. Some public health folks also dismissed the idea of comparing earlier mass gatherings to the current movement, arguing those protests were anti-science, relied on frivolous demands (the "haircuts" reference comes up repeatedly) or were unsafe w/no masks. Photo from April 24. 
9. But focusing on haircuts distorts many of the actual, deeply felt complaints that have burbled for weeks.
WaPo wrote about a mask-wearing grandma who was protesting to reopen Wisconsin so her extended family — largely laid off — could pay the bills. washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/…
WaPo wrote about a mask-wearing grandma who was protesting to reopen Wisconsin so her extended family — largely laid off — could pay the bills. washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/…
10. Public health voices also widely argue these new protests are safer. More masks, for instance.
But masks clearly aren't universal—even as people sing, chant, shake hands. Here are photos from a Newark protest on Tues that "turned into a dance party."
newarkadvocate.com/story/news/202…
But masks clearly aren't universal—even as people sing, chant, shake hands. Here are photos from a Newark protest on Tues that "turned into a dance party."
newarkadvocate.com/story/news/202…
11. I don’t know if it’s the filter bubble, but lots of public health people — including those who dismissed what they call “haircut” protests — don’t seem to countenance how these photos and videos of dancing crowds could confuse and anger Americans, in almost the opposite way.
12. Many people in public health are convinced of the rightness of their message. A growing number of Americans are convinced they’re hypocrites.
It’s a concerning tension in a still-raging pandemic — and especially if cases jump and health experts try to offer guidance again.
It’s a concerning tension in a still-raging pandemic — and especially if cases jump and health experts try to offer guidance again.
