On October 7th, it was reported that U.S. coronavirus cases surpassed 7.5 million with most states seeing a rise in cases and a startling nine states setting ominous, seven-day records for infections. Even these numbers may not reflect the reality given that the nation’s patchwork pandemic response has led to wide disparities in data reporting. There are apparently even differences in definitions for basic medical concepts. In the absence of federal standards, states have also adopted divergent and sometimes scientifically questionable approaches to disease control.
Where has the leadership role of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) been in all of this during the past nine months? William Foege, a renowned epidemiologist who served under Democratic and Republican presidents, detailed in a recent private letter to CDC Director Robert Redfield (obtained by USA TODAY) what he considered as the White House’s meddling in the agency’s efforts to manage the COVID-19 crisis. He reflected what a number of Director Redfield’s predecessors at the CDC strongly believe have been serious failures in the administration’s coronavirus response. Dr. Foege expressed how many scientists and experts feel about the CDC’s failure. Moreover, Dr. Foege’s letter lamented that “the CDC’s scientific experts have been rendered impotent during the most significant health crisis in a century while decades of experience have been ignored.” He concluded: “This will go down as a colossal failure of the public health system of this country.”
Here in Canada, the CDC has had an excellent reputation for its work in the past and government bodies such as the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada have interacted on health issues with the CDC on numerous occasions. Now, the CDC’s scientific reputation has unfortunately been tainted because of the administration’s actions and its failure to provide national science-based standards in addressing COVID-19 issues and to help develop applicable national policies.
In a virtual event held by American University, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious diseases expert, recently said that as many as 400,000 Americans could die from COVID-19 if action isn’t taken in the fall and winter. Dr. Fauci acknowledged that there was the decreasing trust in him as a public official, especially in light of mixed coronavirus messages coming out of the CDC. President Trump’s frequent attacks on the CDC’s integrity and several renown scientists have done nothing to help matters. In direct contradiction of the experts and the CDC, Trump persists in stating that a vaccine will be available in the very near. However, experts and researchers have asserted that a vaccine will probably not be available to most Americans until next summer or the fall at the earliest. Once again, Trump is attempting to undermine the expert advice of the CDC and others for political reasons to the detriment of all Americans. What a shame!
FROLITICKS 
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