After two years of Covid-19, the world is no better prepared for a pandemic today than it was in 2019.
That’s the damning assessment of the latest Global Health Security Index released last week.
Upsetting, but not surprising.
A 🧵 on what worries me:
nytimes.com/2021/12/08/hea…
That’s the damning assessment of the latest Global Health Security Index released last week.
Upsetting, but not surprising.
A 🧵 on what worries me:
nytimes.com/2021/12/08/hea…
Many would assume our response would be better next time, especially after all we’ve learned.
But that’s not a given.
For me, we face 3 critical weaknesses and vulnerabilities:
1. Eroding trust in public health leadership
2. Misuse of travel bans
3. Global vaccine inequity
But that’s not a given.
For me, we face 3 critical weaknesses and vulnerabilities:
1. Eroding trust in public health leadership
2. Misuse of travel bans
3. Global vaccine inequity
1. Eroding trust in public health:
Public health has always been political. But the pandemic pitted one against the other.
No, CDC & FDA haven’t been perfect. But politicians spouting falsehoods have aggressively worked to undermine confidence in our public health institutions
Public health has always been political. But the pandemic pitted one against the other.
No, CDC & FDA haven’t been perfect. But politicians spouting falsehoods have aggressively worked to undermine confidence in our public health institutions
Many across the country are less likely to follow public health advice today than they were in Mar 2020.
It’ll take a long time to rebuild trust.
That’ll be near impossible if equating Fauci to a Nazi war criminal isn’t met with widespread condemnation.
It’ll take a long time to rebuild trust.
That’ll be near impossible if equating Fauci to a Nazi war criminal isn’t met with widespread condemnation.
2. Travel Bans
The way many countries responded to the emergence of Omicron was a stark reminder of how little we’ve learned.
Travel restrictions may help slow spread in some circumstances. But it quickly became clear that with Omicron, they’d do little more than stigmatize.
The way many countries responded to the emergence of Omicron was a stark reminder of how little we’ve learned.
Travel restrictions may help slow spread in some circumstances. But it quickly became clear that with Omicron, they’d do little more than stigmatize.
https://twitter.com/craig_a_spencer/status/1464259759092252679
We soon found that Omicron was circulating in many places before it was first detected. It’s now in dozens of countries and throughout the U.S.
And yet the bans remain. As does their warning: being open about emerging health threats may get you cut off from the rest of the world
And yet the bans remain. As does their warning: being open about emerging health threats may get you cut off from the rest of the world
https://twitter.com/nytopinion/status/1469833081716719617
3. Global Vaccine Inequity
The # of booster doses administered in the US is greater than the # of 1st doses administered in the countries targeted by the travel ban.
Wealthy countries hoarded vaccine at their own peril while the rest of the world was forced to rely on handouts.
The # of booster doses administered in the US is greater than the # of 1st doses administered in the countries targeted by the travel ban.
Wealthy countries hoarded vaccine at their own peril while the rest of the world was forced to rely on handouts.
Instead of using this opportunity to expand vaccine manufacturing in places like sub-Saharan Africa—which imports 99% of its vaccines—we doubled down on the same trickle-down charity model that prioritizes pharmaceutical profit over future preparedness.
This is a huge failure.
This is a huge failure.
This report should be a global wake-up call. Yet I worry it’ll be overlooked and ignored.
We all know this pandemic has been devastating. The only thing that would make it worse is if we don’t learn from it and sleepwalk into all the same mistakes the next time around.
End
We all know this pandemic has been devastating. The only thing that would make it worse is if we don’t learn from it and sleepwalk into all the same mistakes the next time around.
End
https://twitter.com/Craig_A_Spencer/status/1464325076979965958
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