My Public Health Truths (a "living" thread). There are few "truths" in public health, but the following include those I have observed in quantitative & qualitative studies, community engagement, and program implementation independent of socioeconomic or geographic contexts.

These stories will keep breaking... And of course, people and companies pandemic profiteering was a big part of the story. https://t.co/EYrB6eHVEb

Celebrating the murder of a healthcare exec is not a pro-universal health care take. It is an insane take.

In short, public health has to return to serving people who want the services and not forcing them on people who don't.

Viruses have been around forever and will be around forever. They are part of our ecosystem. That said, if we can avoid unnecessary morbidity (sickness) and mortality (death) related to them, then I'm supportive. In fact, that has been the basis of my professional life for

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list and actually barely scratches the surface. We also need to eventually talk about differential travel restrictions, testing strategies, conflicts of interest (both financial and otherwise), politicization, school-related closures,

It has been fascinating to see virologists, psychiatrists, journalists, and beyond claim that there was an archetype of a COVID-19 response represented by harsh punitive and regressive strategies. And that any deviation from recommending a harsh response suggests that one was

This included many people experiencing homelessness with medical mistrust that could not be overcome by mandates not being able to access warm spaces during winter. Judging folks may feel nice, but serves no role in advancing public health programs. https://t.co/mAyOngcpW8

I have an admission that explains most of my perspectives towards COVID. On March 12, 2020, we set up an isolation site for people experiencing homelessness as they were not allowed back into their shelters. Anyone who had a pretty broad range of even mild symptoms in the

I think some people are going to learn very quickly that there are limits to academic freedom.

At the beginning of covid, I was worried that academics personally attacking other academics with whom they didn't agree would undermine the respect for academia and ultimately the power of evidence in driving policy. But that ship has long since sailed and the respect for

This is a great example of reporters so focused on attacking Trump that the message that schools should stay closed was seen as an evidenced-based decision when it wasn't. All pandemic preparedness plans said the same thing: schools should have been last to close and first to

Before starting a public health research study or program, take the time needed to define the problem you are trying to study or solve. If you think your problem definition or study goal is too specific, it isn't.

Tuesday Afternoon Poll Did data aggregators/COVID Trackers help or harm the COVID response? Our World In Data Worldometer JHU COVID Tracker (and many many more)

I think safe to say that any choreographed dance number from people dressed in scrubs has made the average person lose trust in the healthcare establishment.

COVID-Zero was only a viable and sustainable solution on social media given that 99.9% of its prophets and believers were and remain active on these platforms. The coverage in legacy media was driven by a few believers with platforms in well-established newspapers and journals

Always bewildering when you meet someone who wants to be called Dr. but refers to everyone else by their first name.

Any chance the issue is that we pushed people harder for covid vaccines than for any other vaccine in recent history? Any chance many folks are just pissed about it?

Research can act as advocacy, but there's always a line. Don't change your methods to support your advocacy. If you do that, then it's just a commentary with some numbers.

https://t.co/aC26nYSMPp

Why not compare HIV and COVID: HIV eventually kills all people infected by it. HIV is preventable. HIV treatment allows people living with HIV to live normal lives. Why compare HIV with COVID: Shock factor. Shoddy preprints. Clicks, likes, and retweets.