Fighting for Science in America’s Response to COVID-19
The United States was arguably the most prepared among developed nations to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the expertise of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the operational playbook created by the Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense under the Obama administration, and the leadership of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, the United States was poised to step up within the international community and set the standard for handling an infectious outbreak of this scope. As we all know, however, the US did not lead the world through this crisis; instead, we have fallen far behind. Moreover, this lapse is not due to a lack of preparation or scientific infrastructure: it is entirely due to politics and policy failure. Politics broke our trust in and dependence on science. In order to change the trajectory of this pandemic in 2021, we need policy that restores Americans’ faith in rationality and science.
Policy regarding health issues should be evidence-based and non-partisan. Yet, under the Trump administration, all of these issues have become politicized, irrespective of their scientific backing. Trump’s approach continues to divide our country and lead to a distrust of science and the advancement of unproven and potentially harmful therapies like hydroxychloroquine. Moreover, the politicization of science policy also affects our scientific and political institutions. As a result of political gridlock on these issues, “the US doesn’t have a coordinated and proactive approach,” Professor Shobita Parthasarathy said in an interview with JIPP. So mask, ventilator, and test shortages leave American lives to the whims of the private system. These shortages in the ninth month of quarantine, combined with the predicted winter surge of cases and the persistent and fervent opposition to mask wearing and social distancing have made the United States among those countries handling the pandemic most poorly, with steeply rising case numbers.
But, health policy should stand as a facilitator of the principles of science among the people. Having worked as a champion of similar health policies for every president since Reagan, NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of our leading voices in public health, continues to do so in spite of stifling politicization. Dr. Fauci is well known for his contributions to the medical field. Over his career, he has won eight prestigious awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Science for Biological Science. Fauci was also one of the key founders of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) -- a program that has revolutionized medical care for the developing world -- and has contributed extensive research to “prevent, diagnose, and treat established infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis and malaria as well as emerging diseases such as Ebola and Zika.” Dr. Fauci’s background makes it clear that he is well-qualified to handle a worldwide pandemic. Yet, despite his qualifications and leadership, many Americans have joined President Trump to ignore Fauci’s messaging and attack science and the measures we need to do to stop the pandemic.
America is sometimes seen as a society unwilling to follow rules. When those rules come with science attached, particularly if they appear to threaten what Americans perceive as their independence, suddenly the issue becomes irreconcilably politicized and science becomes the enemy. Simple orders like mask mandates and social distancing have been attacked as infringing on individual rights. Now, despite the emergence of promising COVID-19 vaccines, new comments with anti-vaccine Americans are popping up all over the internet and leading to coalitions between anti-science groups as well as protests against stay at home orders.
Recognizing the monumental task facing him, President-elect Joe Biden has asked Dr. Fauci to serve in the White House as Chief Medical Adviser and as a key part of the COVID-19 response team. An article from USA Today spoke about how Dr. Fauci’s expertise was dismissed at times under the Trump administration when his message was unfavorable: “President Donald Trump sidelined him [Fauci] at points during the year after Fauci’s stark warnings about the importance of wearing masks, social distancing and halting large-scale gatherings.” The Trump administration deliberately downplayed the seriousness of this disease and the science backing it in order to curry favor with his right-wing base during an election year. As we enter 2021, the job falls to President-elect Joe Biden to engage Americans in science and scientific policy. It is not enough to rectify our mistakes going forward; we must address the lasting damage done to the beliefs of the American public as well. Only through community education and engagement can the federal government take the lead on controlling the spread of the coronavirus and preparing for inevitable future pandemics.
The coronavirus pandemic has been one of the greatest scientific and health crises of our generation, and America’s response has been berated by Americans and foreigners alike. We watched as fake news triumphed over science, and deaths continue to rise. The American response to this pandemic is only a preview for when we have to deal with other burgeoning scientific crises such as climate change and the great possibility of more pandemics. What will America bring to the global discussion as a country that weighs in on even weather reports as partisan statements? Entering the new year, scientific policy must be normalized and embraced if we hope to collaborate with other countries to solve these impending crises threatening the health and welfare of all world citizens.