Protected from harm and danger, that’s what if means to feel safe. Lots of Americans would love to feel “safe and secure.” They want to live in a nation where breathing and working are unlikely to lead to injury or death. They used to live in such a country. Fifty-five years ago a young lawyer […]
Covid-19 and Public Health: Protecting Those Who Protect You
Public Health workers protect children and dogs, politicians, prostitutes, and pedophiles, Neo-Nazis and Communists, hairdressers and code breakers, kleptomaniacs and corn syrup makers, bakers, butchers, jewelers and jewel thieves, comedians and criminals. Their job is to keep us healthy, live longer, feel well. So why are so many receiving death threats? https://www.dispatch.com/news/20200611/dr-amy-acton-resigns-as-state-health-director-democrats-cite-criticism-from-gop-lawmakers Dr. Amy Acton, […]
Coronavirus Public Health Blog 4.1.20 Your Health Is My Health, My Health Is Yours
Human health is collective. What happens to you will eventually affect me and my offspring. It has always been thus. The evidence is deep in your DNA. Large parts of our DNA come from bacteria and viruses. We have been dealing with infections as long as there has been multicellular life. That’s at least six […]
Coronavirus Public Health Blog 3.24.20 Psychological Shock of Coronavirus
“I don’t believe this.” Or “this can’t be happening.” What if it is? Coronavirus is now provoking global shock. It’s a generalized “I can’t believe this is real”: I can’t go out for a pizza I can’t get my hair cut. I can’t take a walk. I can’t leave my house. Covid-19’s ultimate effects will […]
Learning From The Next Ebola (10/20/14)
When the Past Is Prologue Humans don’t see threats until they’re kicking at the door. But that does not mean you can’t put a crisis to good use. Chance rules the world. As Nassim Taleb showed in “The Black Swan” and other books, low probability events can create high impacts. But the threat to the […]