I think it is absolutely the case that the public health messaging has been co-opted by Big Pharma. One does not have to be "anti-vaxx" to be opposed to such things. One merely has to be "pro-solution."
Even if JYNNEOS were highly effective as a vaccine--which it is not, at 66% efficacy, a far cry from the hi…
I think it is absolutely the case that the public health messaging has been co-opted by Big Pharma. One does not have to be "anti-vaxx" to be opposed to such things. One merely has to be "pro-solution."
Even if JYNNEOS were highly effective as a vaccine--which it is not, at 66% efficacy, a far cry from the high-90s we see touted for vaccines against measles, et cetera--the practical reality of Africa's situation is that the doses needed for a mass vaccination campaign are not there. It's perfectly reasonable for public health officials and NGO workers to agitate for more vaccine doses in such situations--every doctor should argue for the medicines needed to combat disease--but it's absolutely unreasonable not to also message about what else can be done in the meantime.
Orthopox infections are not infectious respiratory diseases. They do not fall in with COVID or other influenza-like illnesses. They are not highly contagious the way that measles can be. Exchange of infected bodily fluids--either through direct contact or exposure to contaminated clothing and bed linens--is how the virus is spread.
This makes behavioral approaches, and in particular sanitary and hygiene behaviors, important to highlight. JYNNEOS might be hard for a hospital to obtain, but disinfectants, bleach, and other cleaning supplies are always going to be considerably less so. Making sure bed linens can be properly cleaned is going to be a far more readily accomplished task than cranking up vaccine production.
These approaches become especially relevant when one wishes to challenge the data itself, as James Lyons-Weiller does at Popular Rationalism.
Non-pharmaceutical interventions and mitigations involving improved sanitation and hygiene are generally going to improve individual and public health regardless of the overall accuracy of the data. Clean hospitals, clean living conditions, effective and compassionate isolation of symptomatic individuals, as well as greater access to PPE and related supplies will help mitigate any number of diseases, not just monkeypox. Even if the monkeypox case counts are overstated, the non-pharmaceutical interventions are still going to fall into the category of "good idea".
This was one of my early gripes about the COVID response. The practical was ignored and even refused.
As the saying goes, you fight with the army you have, not the army you wish you had.
I'm an engineer. I've spent 25 years doing network troubleshooting, disaster recovery, and business continuity within the IT field. I've made solutions work the "experts" insisted couldn't because there was no other alternative at the time. I'm just arrogant and cocky enough to believe that's the productive mindset that is needed in any crisis.
Public health messaging has lost that "solve the problem" mentality. For the healthcare professionals and crisis communicators involved, that's not just stupid, it's morally wrong.
Thank you for your kind words.
I think it is absolutely the case that the public health messaging has been co-opted by Big Pharma. One does not have to be "anti-vaxx" to be opposed to such things. One merely has to be "pro-solution."
Even if JYNNEOS were highly effective as a vaccine--which it is not, at 66% efficacy, a far cry from the high-90s we see touted for vaccines against measles, et cetera--the practical reality of Africa's situation is that the doses needed for a mass vaccination campaign are not there. It's perfectly reasonable for public health officials and NGO workers to agitate for more vaccine doses in such situations--every doctor should argue for the medicines needed to combat disease--but it's absolutely unreasonable not to also message about what else can be done in the meantime.
Orthopox infections are not infectious respiratory diseases. They do not fall in with COVID or other influenza-like illnesses. They are not highly contagious the way that measles can be. Exchange of infected bodily fluids--either through direct contact or exposure to contaminated clothing and bed linens--is how the virus is spread.
This makes behavioral approaches, and in particular sanitary and hygiene behaviors, important to highlight. JYNNEOS might be hard for a hospital to obtain, but disinfectants, bleach, and other cleaning supplies are always going to be considerably less so. Making sure bed linens can be properly cleaned is going to be a far more readily accomplished task than cranking up vaccine production.
These approaches become especially relevant when one wishes to challenge the data itself, as James Lyons-Weiller does at Popular Rationalism.
https://popularrationalism.substack.com/p/open-letter-to-the-fda-the-urgent
Non-pharmaceutical interventions and mitigations involving improved sanitation and hygiene are generally going to improve individual and public health regardless of the overall accuracy of the data. Clean hospitals, clean living conditions, effective and compassionate isolation of symptomatic individuals, as well as greater access to PPE and related supplies will help mitigate any number of diseases, not just monkeypox. Even if the monkeypox case counts are overstated, the non-pharmaceutical interventions are still going to fall into the category of "good idea".
This was one of my early gripes about the COVID response. The practical was ignored and even refused.
https://newsletter.allfactsmatter.us/p/how-to-deal-with-coronavirus-part
https://newsletter.allfactsmatter.us/p/how-to-deal-with-coronavirus-part-4b6
As the saying goes, you fight with the army you have, not the army you wish you had.
I'm an engineer. I've spent 25 years doing network troubleshooting, disaster recovery, and business continuity within the IT field. I've made solutions work the "experts" insisted couldn't because there was no other alternative at the time. I'm just arrogant and cocky enough to believe that's the productive mindset that is needed in any crisis.
Public health messaging has lost that "solve the problem" mentality. For the healthcare professionals and crisis communicators involved, that's not just stupid, it's morally wrong.