Source: Fortune
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic marked a significant scientific achievement, with vaccines developed and produced within a year. However, the Trump administration’s response was marred by criticism of individual scientists, funding cuts, and the shuttering of bureaus. The CDC’s testing debacle and the FDA’s refusal to approve alternative tests exacerbated the issue. The scientific community’s shifting guidance on masking and other measures also bred suspicion. The article explores the political history of the attack on science, including the White House’s lack of preparation and the president’s eventual turn against his health advisors.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story. The Trump administration’s response to the pandemic was marked by a lack of preparation, criticism of scientists, and a turn against his health advisors. The CDC’s testing debacle and the FDA’s refusal to approve alternative tests added to the issue. The scientific community’s shifting guidance on masking and other measures bred suspicion. The president’s eventual turn against his health advisors and his embrace of unproven treatments further politicized the pandemic response.
The fix: Scientists must bring the public along as understanding changes, not just announce new conclusions. The CDC should get out of the pandemic test production business and work more closely with the nation’s biopharma companies to develop diagnostics as new infections emerge.
Ultimately, protecting society demands a nation of people who pull together, who care for one another, who reach across their divisions and mind the health and safety of their neighbors.
Author: Evan Null
