Thread by @HuffmanLabDU

This is why research & #scicomm now about virus transmission is so critical

"We’re going to have to be in a world that is more thoughtful about protecting ourselves from respiratory infection than we have ever had to be before.” Dr. Bloom, @HarvardChanSPH
pri.org/file/2021-02-0…

(Starting at 2:31): “This is a global infection. A mutant or variant anywhere is a threat everywhere. And so we can’t be complacent and say because hopefully we start to do well by summertime in the US we will not be invaded by a new variant. So we really have to ..."

".. continue public health measures: wearing masks, reducing opportunities for spread, and being very careful, because even with vaccines, they’re not perfect, no vaccine has ever been perfect. ..."

"..And we’re going to have to be in a world that is more thoughtful about protecting ourselves from respiratory infection than we have ever had to do before.”

"The best way to prevent the emergence of mutants is to reduce the amount of circulating viruses that hang around and can make mutants. So the lower the number of viruses in the community, the lower the number of viruses in any individual through..."

".. through facemasks, through distancing, through avoiding crowded places, through washing of hands, the lower that number is, the lower the probability a mutant will emerge. That’s the simplest of all facts. ..." (Dr. Bloom)

Via @MarcoWerman @TheWorld
pri.org/file/2021-02-0…

"..The ideal of a vaccine is simply to reduce the number of infectious viruses as a way of reducing the number also that can make mutants.”