Thread by @joshuasweitz

It was Yom Kippur (France time) - a welcome respite.

Circling back since I was tagged here and want to make one thing clear at outset: the comms team @GTSciences have done an incredible job since Summer 2020 in supporting a large-scale *voluntary* asymptomatic testing program.

https://twitter.com/abovenyquist/status/1438582426821963777

Their dedication to general and specific targeting has been critical to the extent to which participation in AY 20-21 was sufficiently high to make genuine public health impacts in the face of significant challenges in getting a program off the ground.

They have also been key partners in many other facets of GT's response, including the successful vaccination campaign in Spring 2021.

This year, staff @GTSciences continue to be critical partners in getting the word out on the asymptomatic testing program, encouraging participation, providing incentives, and responding to queries on the basic science, logistics, and more...

Staff members have participated and helped facilitate each of the many public town halls that we have led in an effort to increase transparency and call things as they stand - starting in August 2020 and continuing through Spring 2021 and Fall 2021.

So let me get back to the question and how to productively move the needle on the public health situation both at GT and through BOR institutions.

Do we have the same level of testing as last year?
In terms of absolute numbers: yes (more or less)
In terms of relative numbers: no (far more folks on campus this year than last)

health.gatech.edu/coronavirus/he…

But, some large-scale testing is far far better than none (esp. w/vaccines helping to reduce risk). And, in the absence of mandates, then the burden shifts to individuals to get tested. At some point - incentives/comms/nudges can only go so far w/out clear consequences.

This year, part of the community has voted with their feet and are simply not testing.

Perhaps this can still change.

Yet, are we better off with an asymptomatic testing program that identifies folks who may have no idea of potential infectiousness and more rapidly reduces overall transmission and positivity? Yes, positivity bears this out (compare to UGA situation for context).

Removing individuals via a large-scale asymptomatic testing program has synergistic impacts, it reduces the chance of a chain of transmission events (particularly key given Delta's higher R0).

The program would be more effective if per-capita testing rates were higher, but we do have the benefit of significant levels of pre-existing immunity (unlike last Fall).

But let's return to the underlying question:

Could the situation be improved with:
* Testing mandates (more tests)
* Vaccination mandates (increasing immunity the safe/ethical way)
* Indoor mask requirements (like last year!)
Answer: yes

You might wonder: why doesn't GT have testing mandates, vaccination requirements, and indoor mask requirements?

Because the BOR (following Gov. Kemp's orders) refuses to follow best public health practices, and limits institutional abilities to do so.

ajc.com/education/geor…

I jointly presented preliminary findings last week at a town hall hosted by the School of Biological Sciences and @GTSciences. In doing so, I tried to share a few key take-aways (see image).

In the spirit of Yom Kippur, perhaps scoring points on one tweet should be one of the sins that we ask atonement for (a caution I will try to keep in mind in my own responses in the year to come).

But, in doing so, I hope that folks following the state of #Covid19 responses don't lose track of two ideas that we must hold in mind at once and that can help guide where to direct both questions and concerns.

Idea 1 - Action-taking matters
Steps that GT has taken of our own initiative have made a significant positive impact on the public health situation on campus (spanning asymptomatic testing, vaccination campaign, and improvements in air quality). We can be proud of this.

Idea 2 - Political interference matters
Certain steps that institutions have not taken are a direct result of politics taking primacy over public health. The @BORUSG failure is esp. remarkable given accessibility of vaccines & precedence for mask-wearing requirements last year.

In closing:

I am profoundly grateful for the incredible work behind the scenes spanning lab science, analytics, logistics, comms, and coordination. And hope that these kinds of exchanges (despite the challenges of the medium) help to bring us closer toward common goals.