Thread by @LaurenWeberHP

Step inside the Missouri war against public health with me, and learn how the ongoing stripping of public health powers is diminishing the nation's ability to fight the next pandemic.

A 🧵 for @KHNews @CNN

cnn.com/2022/02/08/hea…

Let's start with Missouri state senator Mike Moon. He believes vaccinations should cease til more long-term effects are known, citing the research of known misinformation sources, America's Frontline Doctors and Dr. Robert Malone from Joe Rogan's podcast.

He's not vaccinated.

On Feb. 1, he tanked the nomination of Donald Kauerauf to become the state’s next health director

Kauerauf had professed on the record that he was anti-abortion and anti-mandate for vaccinations, all while being nominated by a Republican governor

But it wasn’t enough for Moon

Our #UnderfundedUnderThreat @KHNews @AP investigation last year found that at least 1 in 5 Americans lived in places that had lost a local health official last year.

Take a look if your area was impacted @annabarryjester @hannah_recht @MRSmithAP

khn.org/news/article/o…

Serving at the pleasure of elected leaders is becoming “twisted and grotesque” amid extreme politicization, said @BrianCCastrucci

“This is public health dying,” he said. “A dark age of politics has begun that is choking science.”

Over half of states have rolled back public health powers during the pandemic, which permanently weakens states’ abilities to protect their constituents’ health

And @PublicHealth @GeorgesBenjami7 warned this is just the beginning

w/ @annabarryjester khn.org/news/article/o…

“Both the fundamental legal authorities of public health, as well as the people who are practicing, are being threatened in ways we’ve never seen before,” @GeorgesBenjami7 said, warning even more legislative rollbacks and court rulings stripping health powers would happen in 2022

This stripping of public health powers doesn’t just mean that unpopular covid restrictions will end, @GeorgesBenjami7 said.

These curbs often cripple public health’s ability to fight other scourges.

Let's take a look at Missouri again:

Legislation and a court ruling have stripped a local health officer of some powers, making Vollmar confirm health orders with a board

She's seen a sharp increase in requests for vaccine exemptions for measles and other preventable infectious diseases — and fears what's next

It doesn’t help that Missouri has underfunded public health for years — our #UnderfundedUnderThreat 2020 @KHNews and @AP investigation found public health spending per person was $50 a year — one of the bottom 10 states in the nation.

@laura_ungar

khn.org/news/us-public…

That is part of a right-wing strategy, said Democratic state Sen. @JohnJRizzo , minority floor leader.

“They actively go and break government, and then run their next campaign about how government is broken,” he said.

All the while, the vaccination rate against covid in Missouri hovers around 55%, with outliers like Pulaski County in the Ozarks below 21%.

But those who opposed Kauerauf took his statements that he wanted to increase vaccination levels as a sign that he may be pro-mandate.

Finding a state health department leader to tackle all these issues now may be nearly impossible, said former Kansas City health department head @RexArcherMD .

He’d advise anyone who asked about the job not to buy a house in the state or move their family.

“Our greatest chance for a better public health system in Missouri lies in the hands of the silent majority of our population that support science-based decisions,” Vollmar said.

“I pray they find their voice before it is too late.” @KHNews

khn.org/news/article/p…