COVID Update: There’s always a way to do it right.

When we do the payoff is huge. 1/
Let’s start with Merck. Merck historically pays a lot of attention to global health equity.

As they roll out their highly effective anti-viral, molnupiravir ,they have already contracted with 5 generic manufacturers in India with records for effective global distribution. 2/
Poorer countries around the world and some foundations report that Merck has been coordinating to make distribution there as good or better than in wealthy nations.

Merck donates other drugs to poor nations that treat horrible illnesses where most other pharma companies don’t.3/
All of this was supposed to happen with vaccines. We are now approaching vaccinating half of the globe & Africa is still at about 5%.

It’s not that we’re not capable of doing it right. We just choose not to. 4/
I just visited France where I had to show this RFID to get on a plane, a train, enter a restaurant or a bar or a hotel.

In the weeks they’ve been doing it, it’s already a habit for everyone, adding about 10 seconds to every entry. 5/
It felt quite safe to be just about everywhere, in part knowing the government & businesses & people all around you cared.

Of course you can remain unvaccinated in France. You just can’t go about infecting people. 6/
Cases are down 80% from the early August peak in France. And it feels more durable than your typical wave in the US.

But, of course, there’s a giant cost to all this for France… 7/
The massively negative reaction of the French public. Boy do they hate having virtually no deaths and getting back to life and business. 8/
Most of the US acts like that version of life would be only slightly better than the Gestapo taking your home & imprisoning you.

There being an obvious slippery slope from saving lives to mass murder. 9/
It’s not that we don’t know how to do it right. So far, we have just chosen not to. 10/
Google is banning advertising that denies the effects of climate change & YouTube commits to taking down all misinformation about vaccines. 11/
2/3 of unvaccinated believe one of five falsehoods perpetuated about vaccines. And most say they receive their information from social media.

Things we know are false— like the vaccines interfering with fertility & causing COVID. 12/
This information is removable by people who understand … well let’s see … technology and the Internet and how to do searches.

Facebook claims it is helpless when it comes to getting rid of misinformation. 13/
After all the skills involve seem to be:

an understanding of the information on their website

knowing right from wrong

giving a shit

We know how to do this right. Some of us choose not to. 14/
We are 22 months into the pandemic. We know what to do and it’s not crippling.

Sometimes it takes effort. Other times it takes political courage. Sometimes it takes pressuring people doing wrong. 15/
Some are too tired of it all. They want to expend no more effort. Just move on. They will be dealing with fits & starts for a long time.

Others are willing to put in a little bit of intelligent effort upfront so we can all safely live. 16/
At this point we can’t pretend it doesn’t matter. Or that we don’t know how.

The good news is no matter how many mistakes we’ve made…how many lives we’ve lost unnecessarily…how many chances we’ve missed… today we always have a chance to prevent the next losses. /end

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More from @ASlavitt

18 Oct
COVID Update: There’s lots of evidence that the country has made up its mind about vaccine requirements.

Now time to get our leaders to follow. 1/
OK so… policy is a series of trade offs.

For example, environmental regulations vs. unfettered economic growth. That’s a trade off.

In the case of vaccine requirements to enter places where lots of people can get infected, there’s also a trade off. 2/
Benefits of requiring vaccinations at school, work, travel: Saving lives & ending the pandemic earlier

vs

Harm of requiring vaccinations: violating the incorrect perception of a few that this violates the constitution & is equivalent to martial law

As I say, trade offs 3/
Read 16 tweets
15 Oct
A thought about expertise.
Stroke of luck. The same people who are Twitter pandemic experts are also supply chain experts.
For a country that abhors experts, it’s amazing how many there seem to be.
Read 4 tweets
12 Oct
COVID Update: When cases drop, we should rejoice. But in other circles, it’s when trouble begins. And as often happens, it’s beginning in Texas. 1/
Last time cases were dropping, Gov Ron DeSantis felt the time was right to get cocky. To tell the world that he wasn’t about to allow the state to fall victim to “Faucism.” Instead he was for freedom.

What did that mean?

2/
What did this mean?

-Boats can’t dock if they ask people if their vaccinated
-Schools can’t require masks
-Why vaccinate when you can treat sick people?

Ultimately it meant the plurality of people who died this year in the US died under his watch in Florida. 3/
Read 14 tweets
11 Oct
COVID Update: COVID has been defined by its unpredictability. But what happens next is as predictable as it’s ever been.

Our job now is to beat away any potential surprises. 1/
1. Case & death rates should decline in much of the country & most hospitals should get a reprieve.

Danger areas will be in rural areas in the Upper Midwest & Great Plaines. 2/
The hard way or the easy way…

Big states like Texas and Florida have seen their surge & our thankfully recovering.

The Northeast & California have high levels of vaccinations. Those states should have low levels of COVID relative to last winter. 3/
Read 21 tweets
2 Oct
COVID Update: 700,000 lives lost and a nation’s soul damaged to COVID. 1/
We are going through a period of extended trauma. We witnessed it all. Denial of science, a health system marked by neglect, massive disparities between rich & poor and black & white, cruelty & bullying, unmourned losses.

And then COVID happened. 2/
Our accumulated sins which have played out slowly and in shadows over many years got to be seen in high speed as the pandemic fished out suffering both cruel & levied at the many who had a harder time protecting themselves. 3/
Read 17 tweets
1 Oct
COVID Update: First data from an oral at-home anti-viral from Merck are in.

50% reduction in hospitalizations. Trial halted, EUA on the way. 1/
Game changer for COVID-19.

Will be able to be taken orally either post diagnosis or even after routine exposure. 2/
Added protection for some:
-breakthrough cases
-health care workers

Real potential for:
-countries/areas w low vaccine access or acceptance
-immunosuppressed
3/
Read 8 tweets

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