Thread by @WhitneyEpi

🧵1/ So when I was writing out this thread, I realized that public health vaccination efforts have a big messaging problem!*

[* my response actually branches off into two different threads starting after Tweet 3 - sorry!]

https://twitter.com/whitneyepi/status/1373320149844041735

🧵2/ I wrote about the goal of widespread vaccination from a public health perspective...

https://twitter.com/whitneyepi/status/1373334327702982662

🧵3/ ...versus the goal of vaccination from a medical perspective

https://twitter.com/whitneyepi/status/1373333734485790723

🧵4/ The medical perspective is like blowing up the Death Star. Big show of force to dramatically neutralize the threat...

🧵5/ ... but letting remnants of the Empire like Moff Gideon survive and bounce around the edges of the galaxy plotting The Empire’s resurgence

🧵6/ A public health response to #COVID19 is more ruthless. We plan to troll the far reaches of the universe to hunt down every last one of them

🧵 7/ Personally, I hate #COVID19. I want it gone forever...

🧵8/ I want there to be a @housetv reboot in 2041. And I want House to scoff at the new overeager book-smart resident who suggests #COVID19 as a possible diagnosis. “The only problem is that the #SARSCoV2 virus was eradicated 18 years ago.”

🧵9/ ok, I can tell from the responses from very smart people that my own attempt to speak beyond the extent of my expertise is failing! 😂

🧵10/ My big point is that I’m worried some folks will decide we are done and life is back to normal when we getting to 50% vaccination and they are personally pretty safe from #COVID19 risk.

🧵11/ That will mean continued localized outbreaks for years and #LongCovid misery for lots of folks even if low rates of death.

🧵12/ To have the best chance of getting out of this, I think we need to envision that we are in a new stage: an all-out push to tamp the virus down as quickly and mercilessly as we can stand.

🧵13/ So it’s not normal. But it’s not March 2020 either.

🧵 14/ But this is unprecedented, and it makes sense that people want guidance & a path forward. I think the Biden administration is trying to fill this void in a national vision by focusing on vaccination and in-person schooling.

🧵15/ And it’s going to be contentious. I think public health people largely agree that we need to keep pushing forward with vaccination and strategic mitigation, that the sacrifices now will pay dividends in the years to come.

🧵 16/ but yeah, we disagree around the edges. What specific mitigation strategies should be pursued and where and to what extent? These are live questions that people are watching get hashed out in real-time.

🧵17/ As a scientist, it’s compelling and vital. But as a person who is beat down by the worst year of my life, yeah, I can see how it’s tedious and frustrating. But I truly believe we are close to collective relief.

🧵18/ Even the Rebels disagreed on strategy sometimes. But I just don’t want Moff Gideon to get away when we are so close to cutting off his resources. (Ok, I’ve taken the #starwars reference way too far)

🧵19/ And now the #ID #epitwitter folks can school me on all the concepts I got wrong! 🤦🏾‍♀️ I welcome it. I’m here to learn, just like the rest of you.

20/ And, yes, this kind of stuff does give me pause... But also makes me want to crush this virus even faster and harder.

https://twitter.com/dgurdasani1/status/1373283575475236871