Thread by @broadwaybabyto

Like most of us - I’m feeling hurt & betrayed by the knowledge that the WHO quietly upgraded their ventilation & air quality while pushing droplet dogma to the masses. They knew it was airborne & only protected themselves.

A 🧵on science, trust, trauma & how to move forward /1

Let’s face it - we’ve known for a long time that many governments and people in positions of power have been taking more Covid precautions than they publicly admit. They downplayed the risks to the average Joe while using as many layers of protection as possible for themselves /2

The World Economic Forum in Davos was perhaps the best example of this - where attendees had access to PCR tests and state of the art ventilation and filtration to lower their risk of Covid. Clean air for me but not for thee. /3

Despite this not being new information - the WHO news hits extra hard. These are the people who are supposed to be overseeing the literal health of the world. Keeping us safe, advising us of risks, educating us on prevention. /4

Yet they pushed droplet dogma for FOUR years - and people died or were left permanently disabled. They allowed bad science like cloth masks & 6 foot distancing requirements to proliferate while taking actual airborne precautions for themselves. /5

They quietly walked things back a few weeks ago and finally (albeit unenthusiastically) acknowledged that Covid is indeed airborne. The problem is … who’s going to listen to them now? The guidelines have made no sense for 4 years and their credibility is severely damaged. /6

So I’m mourning. I’m mourning the thought of what could have been. If the WHO had admitted it was airborne & advised governments to take the same precautions they were taking for themselves … how many lives could have been saved? How many people could have avoided disability? /7

I’m also mourning the loss of trust in our public institutions and science. It’s having a downstream impact on health the likes of which we’ve never seen - and I fear it’ll only get worse. And it’s all too easy to understand how we got here. /8

If the “experts” tell you that a cloth mask, sanitizing groceries, washing hands & standing 6 feet apart will prevent spread of COVID …. And you get Covid anyways … you’re going to distrust them. /9

If you followed all their rules only to find out they took far more precautions for themselves? You will distrust them. /10

If you rushed out to get the vaccine and happily went vaxx and relax only to become seriously ill and disabled? You will distrust them. If you’re independently following the science and know that a respirator and clean air is necessary for prevention? You will distrust them. /11

The guidance we’ve received since the beginning of the pandemic has almost always been wrong. And no one has stood up and admitted that. No one has said sorry. So we see more and more people distrusting public health, ignoring the science & endangering their health. /12

I don’t know where we go from here but I know that it’s going to take a lot for people to get over the betrayal they’re feeling right now. Just like it’ll take a lot to undo the damage done & squash the rising anti-science, anti-vaxx movements that are growing the world over. /13

But we have to try. Literal lives are at stake. People are still dying and becoming disabled every day - and we know that risk goes up with cumulative infections. In 5-10 years there could be very few people left who aren’t experiencing long term health consequences. /14

I wish people in postions of power like the WHO would publicly say “we’re sorry - we got it wrong.” I genuinely think it would go a long way. People need to hear them say the actual words…. And apologies can do wonders for healing trauma. There’s much healing to be done. /15

Until that day - I hope and plead with people to continue following the science and advocating for clean air, better vaccines & treatments, respirators and a layered approach to Covid. It’s unfortunate so many of us are doing the job of public health - but it’s necessary. /16

Days like today it might feel impossible - the pain & anguish too much to bear. But never lose sight of the fact that there are ppl out there who see & appreciate what you’re doing. Who wouldn’t know how to clean the air or choose a respirator if it weren’t for YOUR advocacy /17

Regular people on social media may not be changing policy at the public health or government level (yet)… but that doesn’t mean we aren’t saving lives. Even if you only reach one person… that’s one person who might avoid death or disability because of what you shared. /18

So keep up the fight. Call out injustices when you see them - but then refocus on the message at hand. Covid is airborne. It’s not over. It causes devastating Long Covid. The best way to prevent it is a layered strategy that includes clean air & respirators. We can do this. /end