People have a given right to choose yet the hope for the better economy & exclusion of those struggling for a better life within America & at its borders will not come from a biggot, and convicted felon. There will be chaos in the White House as he seeks revenge 😢 JJF a Canadian looking from the other side & not hopeful for better days globally & certainly not for North America
I'm mostly terrified for people in certain parts of the country. I see a divide in the implications. Here in MA, I think we'll be ok. I worry about others.
I truly appreciate this. I am heartbroken and very afraid this morning. However, this is my country too and I am choosing to fight for it. I will be spending my day finding the best path forward in how we can grow and heal since the biggest piece is out of my hands. Thank you, Dr. Faust!
Thanks for writing this, and to the extent you can help us with specific actionable things, it will be invaluable. For many of us, the landscape just changed dramatically and personally I don't feel that I have a lot of agency or power to impact what happens under the next administration. With your forum here and on Medpage and other places, I deeply appreciate this.
Well, I think we need to figure out a way to talk to people in our lives who we can reach. Inside Medicine contributer Kristin Panthagani wrote about this recently over on YLE and the big thing was that we need to resist the temptation to dunk and shame the opposition when they don't get it on the science. We need to draw them into a conversation where they feel heard and therefore are ready to also listen.
I think of Rand Paul getting head of the Health/Education Committee with his personal vendetta against Dr Fauci & RFK Jr as well. What will they put Dr Fauci though turning 84 next month? They will surely work the Justice Dept to try to go after him & other scientists particularly about GOF/Wuhan Lab. What will the dedicated workers at HHS & the sub depts feel like? Will they continue their civil service work knowing they could be grilled before a committee? How much $$ & independence will FDA, NIH, CDC have? How much $$ will be cut from research on vaxes, therapeutics before another pandemic? Oris it all RFK Jr to "make America healthy again" by disavowing proven treatments? Just some of my many, many questions.....
Such an important concern and once again grateful to your on-gong research and commentary even beyond COVID. Perhaps it is my age and personal experience that found this country's response to COVID so appalling. Even understanding the extraordinarily difficult position that healthcare leaders like Fauci were in with the worst, most-disinterested leader in Trump that we could have had during a pandemic. We had less knowledge in 1918 and did a better job with both leadership and society. I still have living friends who acquired Polio and still suffer from it. But we changed the the world's Public Health in perception and in application back then. And now look at us. A regional public health department in Idaho is no longer providing Covid-19 vaccines to residents in six counties after a narrow decision by its board. In Florida, the Surgeon General bucked medical consensus to recommend against the COVID vaccine (and he could very well take a prominent position in the Trump administration, nevermind Kennedy. While I mostly agree that "bludgeoning people" for their selfish, lack of critical thinking on these important topics may not be effective, neither is placating them and their immorality. Don't these election results prove just that. This will not be one of those elections where we have a "Red Wave" for 4 years followed by a "Blue Shift" that corrects damage. It has and will be even more so, permanent at least for lifetimes. The opinions on these things are not like which coffee flavor we like. It is not partisanship, it is the logic of communal morality. I know you know this, Dr. Faust. We all need (as do our children) lessons in cause and effect in terms of proportion and ratio in relationships. I call myself an Optimistic Realist as I'm deeply invested in fact, research, and solution-orientation while recognizing that for solutions to problems and constructive change to exist, there must be hope. And we must constantly remind the selfish, fearful, non-thinking population that as the community suffers so do the individuals in it. COVID should have been a no-brainer on that. That virus did not care what political party you were in. It's only job was to replicate itself. When I protected myself from it through sensible practices and vaccines, I also protected my community. And when my community did the same, I was protected. No divison of government understands that better than Public Health. Or at least we used to.
And adding to my long diatribe...I will speak and act on both the darkness, and the possibility. I have and continue this week to work in activism and advocacy locally and statewide. I'm working with MASS Care on Medicare for All that has a bill currently before our sate legislature, I'm working on 3 other Disability Rights state bills, I'm Vice Chair on my city Commission on Disability, both my husband and I were asked to be on our city's Master Plan Advisory Committee, I'm also working on housing and shelter issues, and my husband is on our Conservation Commission (something he did even while working for the gov in environmental and forest conservation profession). I would be holding a public office had I been born with the privilege of good health. I have Progressive MS that put me in a wheelchair and impacted my breathing muscles (started at age 27), RA for 38 years, Common Variable Immune Deficiency, 2x TIA's, and diagnosed with Cushings Disease last May that is still not being treated as I have an inept endocrinologist that only gives me 15 minutes every 3 months and does not bother himself with looking at my complex health history. I was given a life expectancy of 2-5 years, 6 years ago. But I'm still fighting for my community especially those in more vulnerable positions than even me. This is meant to be inspirational, not self-righteous. Everybody can do SOMETHING. VOLUNTEER NOW in your community. RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
As an experienced public health guy, I couldn't agree more. I posted my own thoughts on how we can protect our public health system in my Substack newsletter this morning. https://healthscaping.substack.com/
Among my acquaintances who voted for the elected president, I find a lack of knowledge about basic concepts eg how vaccines work, what causes inflation etc.etc. When you don’t understand a problem you look to someone who says, “They caused it and I can fix/change it.”
As a nation how could we start public service announcements on social media that don’t sound political but are strictly educational (and of course, entertaining). I’m betting many of us would financially support such an adventure. We are all desperate to DO something.
I am so scared of what will happen to the Healthcare System. It almost makes me nauseous. I just can’t believe the ignorance of the American people. I try so hard to stay healthy. Substack will be the only way I will be able to keep up with accurate medical and scientific information. There will be nothing but lies from the trump administration. I am an outpatient Dialysis RN of 30 years and I appreciate your concern and keeping us informed. Thank you!!!
I wish I believed you at this moment in time. I’m very discouraged about the future of rational thought in our country.
Anger and dissatisfaction with the status quo drives my work. We will be out there shining light on the data.
Thank you for writing to us this morning, Dr. Faust. These communities just got a whole lot more important.
Indeed I felt so fortunate to be able to write a letter to *someone* who cares. All of you!
It’s a dark day in this country but I am with you! We cannot give up the fight to keep putting the truth out there!
Now more than ever.
Very, very sad day in America
People have a given right to choose yet the hope for the better economy & exclusion of those struggling for a better life within America & at its borders will not come from a biggot, and convicted felon. There will be chaos in the White House as he seeks revenge 😢 JJF a Canadian looking from the other side & not hopeful for better days globally & certainly not for North America
It's depressing. It is hard for me to understand it. But we have to regroup here and fight on
I am terrified.
I'm mostly terrified for people in certain parts of the country. I see a divide in the implications. Here in MA, I think we'll be ok. I worry about others.
I just don’t know what to say. Our healthcare is doomed.
The sad part is that the people who are helped MOST by ACA are the ones who just voted to threaten it again.
I truly appreciate this. I am heartbroken and very afraid this morning. However, this is my country too and I am choosing to fight for it. I will be spending my day finding the best path forward in how we can grow and heal since the biggest piece is out of my hands. Thank you, Dr. Faust!
I'm glad to hear you're doing what I'm doing. Tell me what you come up with. I'm all ears.
Thank you for writing this. You are correct, we need to keep pressing on and educating people the best we can. Thank you for doing what you do!
It's a lot easier knowing y'all are here to support it. Seriously.
Thanks for writing this, and to the extent you can help us with specific actionable things, it will be invaluable. For many of us, the landscape just changed dramatically and personally I don't feel that I have a lot of agency or power to impact what happens under the next administration. With your forum here and on Medpage and other places, I deeply appreciate this.
Well, I think we need to figure out a way to talk to people in our lives who we can reach. Inside Medicine contributer Kristin Panthagani wrote about this recently over on YLE and the big thing was that we need to resist the temptation to dunk and shame the opposition when they don't get it on the science. We need to draw them into a conversation where they feel heard and therefore are ready to also listen.
Thank you for all the work you do and will continue to do! I appreciate your work and insight. We will survive, but it will be a rocky ride.
I think you are right. More than that, I HOPE you are.
I think of Rand Paul getting head of the Health/Education Committee with his personal vendetta against Dr Fauci & RFK Jr as well. What will they put Dr Fauci though turning 84 next month? They will surely work the Justice Dept to try to go after him & other scientists particularly about GOF/Wuhan Lab. What will the dedicated workers at HHS & the sub depts feel like? Will they continue their civil service work knowing they could be grilled before a committee? How much $$ & independence will FDA, NIH, CDC have? How much $$ will be cut from research on vaxes, therapeutics before another pandemic? Oris it all RFK Jr to "make America healthy again" by disavowing proven treatments? Just some of my many, many questions.....
If anyone can handle a deluge of absurdity, it's Fauci. But it's sad that he'll have to.
Such an important concern and once again grateful to your on-gong research and commentary even beyond COVID. Perhaps it is my age and personal experience that found this country's response to COVID so appalling. Even understanding the extraordinarily difficult position that healthcare leaders like Fauci were in with the worst, most-disinterested leader in Trump that we could have had during a pandemic. We had less knowledge in 1918 and did a better job with both leadership and society. I still have living friends who acquired Polio and still suffer from it. But we changed the the world's Public Health in perception and in application back then. And now look at us. A regional public health department in Idaho is no longer providing Covid-19 vaccines to residents in six counties after a narrow decision by its board. In Florida, the Surgeon General bucked medical consensus to recommend against the COVID vaccine (and he could very well take a prominent position in the Trump administration, nevermind Kennedy. While I mostly agree that "bludgeoning people" for their selfish, lack of critical thinking on these important topics may not be effective, neither is placating them and their immorality. Don't these election results prove just that. This will not be one of those elections where we have a "Red Wave" for 4 years followed by a "Blue Shift" that corrects damage. It has and will be even more so, permanent at least for lifetimes. The opinions on these things are not like which coffee flavor we like. It is not partisanship, it is the logic of communal morality. I know you know this, Dr. Faust. We all need (as do our children) lessons in cause and effect in terms of proportion and ratio in relationships. I call myself an Optimistic Realist as I'm deeply invested in fact, research, and solution-orientation while recognizing that for solutions to problems and constructive change to exist, there must be hope. And we must constantly remind the selfish, fearful, non-thinking population that as the community suffers so do the individuals in it. COVID should have been a no-brainer on that. That virus did not care what political party you were in. It's only job was to replicate itself. When I protected myself from it through sensible practices and vaccines, I also protected my community. And when my community did the same, I was protected. No divison of government understands that better than Public Health. Or at least we used to.
And adding to my long diatribe...I will speak and act on both the darkness, and the possibility. I have and continue this week to work in activism and advocacy locally and statewide. I'm working with MASS Care on Medicare for All that has a bill currently before our sate legislature, I'm working on 3 other Disability Rights state bills, I'm Vice Chair on my city Commission on Disability, both my husband and I were asked to be on our city's Master Plan Advisory Committee, I'm also working on housing and shelter issues, and my husband is on our Conservation Commission (something he did even while working for the gov in environmental and forest conservation profession). I would be holding a public office had I been born with the privilege of good health. I have Progressive MS that put me in a wheelchair and impacted my breathing muscles (started at age 27), RA for 38 years, Common Variable Immune Deficiency, 2x TIA's, and diagnosed with Cushings Disease last May that is still not being treated as I have an inept endocrinologist that only gives me 15 minutes every 3 months and does not bother himself with looking at my complex health history. I was given a life expectancy of 2-5 years, 6 years ago. But I'm still fighting for my community especially those in more vulnerable positions than even me. This is meant to be inspirational, not self-righteous. Everybody can do SOMETHING. VOLUNTEER NOW in your community. RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
As an experienced public health guy, I couldn't agree more. I posted my own thoughts on how we can protect our public health system in my Substack newsletter this morning. https://healthscaping.substack.com/
Among my acquaintances who voted for the elected president, I find a lack of knowledge about basic concepts eg how vaccines work, what causes inflation etc.etc. When you don’t understand a problem you look to someone who says, “They caused it and I can fix/change it.”
As a nation how could we start public service announcements on social media that don’t sound political but are strictly educational (and of course, entertaining). I’m betting many of us would financially support such an adventure. We are all desperate to DO something.
Thank you for your thoughtful response here.
my pleasure
I am so scared of what will happen to the Healthcare System. It almost makes me nauseous. I just can’t believe the ignorance of the American people. I try so hard to stay healthy. Substack will be the only way I will be able to keep up with accurate medical and scientific information. There will be nothing but lies from the trump administration. I am an outpatient Dialysis RN of 30 years and I appreciate your concern and keeping us informed. Thank you!!!