Thread by @VPrasadMDMPH

Touching piece. It's sad but vaccines and masking have become anchored to a culture war where people feel glee about misfortune of their political opponents. It has made everyone cruel and blind to the scientific truth... 1/6

https://twitter.com/gogreen18/status/1483914521454383110

Cloth masking never had good data. We didn't run proper studies in high income nations. We didn't run any good studies in kids. And now we are escalating to higher quality masks precisely in a moment when they serve less societal purpose, than pre vaccine, where they held value

Vaccines are tremendous good. They save lives. They work very well in older people to lower the risk of death.

But diminishing vaccine effectiveness against mild infection subverts the need for mandates. And pushing boosters in the young is misguided

People on both sides of the political spectrum lean into absolutes. And thus sensible middle ground is not possible. Everyone thinks the other side politicizes the topic. But they do themselves. Sad to see.

Meanwhile, science is on life support. We run the serious risk of having a split in science, and having two sets of scientific facts to support the two political parties. That would be a catastrophic result. But each day we dig in deeper that way.

Although a lifelong progressive, and Bernie fan, I follow the science above all else. And on many covid issues It's the other side that's in the right. Particularly when it comes to children and the restrictions they face. Progressive policy ironically hurting kids. Sad