Thread by @sonalirajan

Last week, a few of my wonderful @Columbia colleagues and I wrote an open letter to illustrate that among public health researchers and practitioners, there is wide support that we use rigorous accumulated scientific evidence to guide COVID-19 policy. (a🧵)

This is especially important if we want to ensure we have an equitable response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (which, as @Lakshmi_RKG so eloquently states here -- has been inequitable from the start). 2/n

https://twitter.com/Lakshmi_RKG/status/1494048282380808192

It shouldn't have to be said that the health, well-being, and safety of all children (and their schools, their families, and their communities at large) matter. It honestly breaks my heart that this assumption isn't a given. (3/n)

https://twitter.com/edyong209/status/1493969707849953284

But for those of us who work with children and on a range of critical public health issues, I can tell you that any policy that considers the well-being of *some* -- but not all -- is simply not good enough. (4/n)

And what does "well-being" even mean when you are a child? Well, it certainly means preventing caregiver loss. It means fostering a truly safe school environment. It means caring about children as a whole. (5/n)

https://twitter.com/JuliaRaifman/status/1493688463253811201

To argue that Americans won't come together to utilize a simple safety strategy -- a strategy that has a preponderance of science supporting its effectiveness -- is disheartening.

But more importantly, it's not even true. (6/n)

https://twitter.com/bhrenton/status/1494071323383021572

Poll after poll shows that the majority of Americans support of these kinds of mandates -- especially when Covid rates are so high, overall vaccine rates remain low, and a vaccine for the youngest among us isn't even available. (7/n)

https://twitter.com/EmGusk/status/1493709325642129408

Some would have you believe that this is a partisan issue -- that the majority of people don't care about the death and the suffering around us. But that assumes the very worst of us and I do not, for one moment, think that is actually true. (8/n)

https://twitter.com/davidlazer/status/1493297703165599750

There is willingness to care for one another through this pandemic and via the use of evidence-informed strategies. But we need the leadership to do that.

@WHCOVIDResponse @WhiteHouse @PressSec @GovKathyHochul @GovNedLamont @GovMurphy @LarryHogan @JohnCarneyDE

Current calls to end universal indoor masking in schools should, at minimum, be grounded in good quality data and clear metrics. Over the past few days, via our open letter, we've shown that 350+ public health researchers and practitioners agree. #epitwitter #medtwitter 10/n

(Linking to our letter here for those in public health who would like to sign: medium.com/@pubhealthscho…) (11/n)

As an academic, putting ideas out there in such a public space is (at least for me) well outside of my comfort zone. So I am grateful to my incredibly thoughtful colleagues (@EpiProfCharlie @epi_kerrykeyes @kara_rudolph @drdustinduncan) for co-authoring this piece. (12/n)

Just as importantly, I am grateful to my very good friend and colleague @eventsforgood who has single-handedly spearheaded the behind-the-scenes logistics of this open letter effort. (A note, also, that organizing requires the time, efforts, and generosity of so many). (13/n)

Certainly, the personal silver lining of this, has been for me to just see how many researchers, pediatricians, epidemiologists, school nurses, educators, etc have and continue to spend so much time and energy advocating for equitable and effective solutions. #UrgencyofEquity

(@JuliaRaifman @jfeldman_epi @tnicholsmd @uche_blackstock @kavitapmd @IrwinRedlenerMD  @DrNataliaLinos  @choo_ek @asosin @luckytran @s_j_prins @DrTomori and many many others. It is so inspiring to see and learn from their work and scholarship and advocacy). (15/n)

It's my hope that our elected officials will heed the calls of many to prioritize the safety and well-being of all. And with evidence and equity as the principles that guide these critical policy decisions. /end