Thread by @ASlavitt

COVID Update December 22: Yesterday I wrote a tweet thread about bottling up my own anger.

But I also have tons of hope. On my #inthebubble with Tony Fauci tomorrow am, you will see why. 1/

Yes one reason is science. Tony represents the reason you invest in science regardless of the administration and regardless of whether we are worried about taxes & deficits. 2/

Investing in science is an investment in each other. An investment in our future. And it cuts against all the excesses of capitalism. 3/

It’s become our flash & splash savior when we won’t modify our own behavior. But when I ask Fauci about the vaccine, you will not hear a story about a Warp Speed race. You will hear a story about patient investing & discovery & partnership. 4/

It’s also a conversation about how science & politics do and don’t mix well. And about the flaws in the country that make science harder than it should be. 5/

You will hear some of the ways we got here. And in the best of us, you will hear teamwork & lack of ego & showmanship and how that offset a darker force of ignorance & ego. 6/

There’s also an undercurrent of what overcomes many of our challenges— courage. The courage of Rick Bright, of Nancy Messonier, of Tony Fauci— willing to dissent in an era when dissent was entirely unwelcome. 7/

This wasn’t the courage of jumping off of a diving board. It’s the courage of knowing a maniac will tweet about how & unleash the scariest forces— those who threaten your family & your life— for just telling the truth. 8/

Tony and I frame the conversation about 2021. I received 250 questions from people who wanted the straight story...about the vaccine, immunity, long COVID, reinfection, when we can get it & when life begins to change. 9/

I’ve asked 20 of the top scientists in the country to respond to 4 questions.
-describe 2021 in a sentence
-what is the 1 thing govt needs to do in 2021
-what does the public need to do in 2021
-when will indoor gatherings be safe? 10/

All scientists answered as does Fauci.

I will be bringing you all these answers. And yes, those answers give us hope. 11/

COVID still has surprises for us in 2021 unfortunately. And the beginning of the year will be tough. January could be our worst month yet.

But also a month when we begin to turn the corner. 12/

We will feel confidence & compassion in leadership for the first time in a long time.

The Trump gang can’t shoot straight even when they try. And they didn’t try all that often. 13/

Vaccines. Tests. Therapies. All will begin to make life easier for us.

Of course they will compete against fatigue, misinformation, suffering, time & as country that lacks unity. And of course the virus.

But with our help, we will win. 14/

Winning and seeing your ugly side. Winning at an unacceptable cost. Winning overcoming suffering.

It is every bit as triumphant. For every life we won’t lose. In honor of every life lost. 15/

I wrote a book about the last year to put the first draft of history in writing. To create an accounting for all of you who lost someone. To not let any of us off easy. To allow us to fight for the closure to move on. 16/

It’s an inside story that protects no secrets including my own. It’s a first person narrative but with people throughout the government telling me their story. With nurses & doctors & essential workers who told me their truths. 17/

With experts who were never listened to. The main character in the story is our country. Today I have a commitment to provide readers of these threads & listeners of #inthebubble a signed copy. 18/

https://twitter.com/aslavitt/status/1341488560587698176

We are going to have a better year next year. There will be hugs. There will be joy. There will be recovery. There will be neighbor helping neighbor. And that will fill us with optimism. 19/

We don’t need a roaring 20s. We need one where we decide to heal the planet, have the hard conversations about what America can finally be— & yes, continue to fight against evil, ignorance & prejudice.

The battle will be even harder than this one. But again, we will win. 20/

So I hope you enjoy listening to Tony and I tomorrow. And I thank you & I’m grateful to you for being a virtual part of my world by reading these & commenting. It’s all we got. For now. /end

Smarturl.it/inthebubble