Thread by @PeterHotez

Thread 1/10: NEW Our @TheLancet Commission on #COVID19 just released its first set of detailed deliberations, heavy emphasis on global disparities.

While some statements may seem self-evident, we also raise some key non-obvious issues @richardhorton1

thelancet.com/journals/lance…

Thread 2/10: Some large particles settle out of the air quickly because of gravity (2 m [6 ft] distancing rule), but majority are smaller particles that stay aloft travel beyond 2 m (6 ft)...large outdoor events often preceded or followed by indoor crowds at bars pubs restaurants

Thread 3/10: ...failure to control the pandemic is a style of political leadership that has been termed medical populism, political leaders “simplifying the pandemic by downplaying its impacts or touting easy solutions or treatments, spectacularizing their responses to crisis..."

Thread 4/10: ...three case studies: US President Donald Trump, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro...medical populism stokes opposition to simple measures such as wearing face masks, and it breeds misinformation and rumour trafficking.

Thread 5/10: In the United States, COVID-19 is causing historic decimation of Hispanic communities across the south, African American communities in the southeast, and Native American communities in the southwest.

Thread 6/10: The United States is not alone on this front. Across the G20 nations, there are rising cases of COVID-19 among people who are poor and living amidst wealth, a situation that has been called “blue marble health”
muse.jhu.edu/book/75688

Thread 7/10: We are concerned about the emphasis and focus on new and unproven vaccine technologies, which will be expensive and have not been shown to offer benefits (in terms of vaccine immunity or safety) over traditional and far less expensive...approaches

Thread 8/10: ..the latter could be produced by members of the Developing Country Vaccine Manufacturers Network dcvmn.org and are more likely to provide vaccines to low-income populations and nations.

Thread 9/10: Along these lines, there is a need for better acceptance of low-cost adjuvants with long-standing safety records, such as alum, which have so far been dismissed by major donors and international partners without scientific rationale

Thread 10/10: ...vaccine nationalism, in which individual nations tie up the intended supplies of future vaccines, is counterproductive...Bilateral negotiations on future vaccine access are currently taking place under confidentiality agreements, with poor transparency in pricing