Until now, the CDC has relied on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report—an internal scientific publication journal—to communicate COVID-19 science throughout the pandemic. But this pipeline is too slow for crisis communication. We need rapid analyses to guide evidence-based decision-making.
Nov 18, 2022·edited Nov 18, 2022Liked by Katelyn Jetelina
Congrats 👏 on the CDC appointment! Well deserved and definitely needed! Loved your appearance earlier in the year on WNYC with Brian Lehrer and I hope this new gig leads to more opportunities for you to do that kind of communication.
One suggestion for you - I spent close to 40 years in the biopharmaceutical industry. I had to prepare, present and interpret data for myself, my colleagues and management on a daily basis. I personally find many of the graphics used in the CDC summary you just reviewed baffling, especially the stacked line chart graphs. Please convince the powers that be that simpler, more straightforward presentations of critical data will go a long way to better communication and engagement by a wider public audience.
I am beyond thrilled to have you consulting for the CDC on science COMMUNICATION! You have been my go-to for clear and accurate communication from the start. It is my profound hope that you will lead the charge back to a CDC we can trust.
Please have them emphasize air quality and ways to mitigate that work: high-quality masks, well maintained HEPA filters, and fresh air.
Thank you for joining up with CDC. As a retired fed, these agencies try their best, and the people on the ground a dedicated to public health. I hope you can break through the bubbles of those that are anti-science or indifferent.
Congratulations to you, Dr. Jetelina for the recognition of your unique contributions to public health and medical reporting! It's well-deserved. Just make sure you don't become a pawn of the CDC, which has thoroughly disgraced itself since the start of the pandemic.
Your graphics continue to be Excellent - making the point without being overcomplicated.
Your comment about people who should be getting Paxlovid struck home. My 64 year old brother, who is in fairly good shape but is a type 2 diabetic, and his wife, who is also a type 2 diabetic both got Covid. They had both been recently boosted for the 2nd time. What happened after that was a complete FAILURE of the healthcare system. He calls his phyician and receives his Paxlovid and though he was, as he stated, sicker than he ever has been, he recovered at home. His wife, unknown to the rest of the family, NEVER hears back from her physician and passes her window. She has a less severe but much longer course. MY Point = the health care system is broken. Physicians and nurses are barely recovering from this epidemic and I doubt the private, group practitioner or city or University associated hosptials can survive another. We need an overhaul of our Health "Business" system.
We now hava a Health Business and doctors are leaving this broken system at an accelerated rate. As a physician who is now retired, it is tragic to see Health as a Business model,as it is soul less and though the young think their good health will protect them - it will not. A business run Health system is lethal.
Congrats. They NEED you. Don't let anyone say you have gone over to the other side. Thank God you are there. Also never let them muzzle you by innuendo, order, or implication.
Please note: Tell the CDC their "technical reports" must be available in PDF format and not just for "print" to facilitate further distribution. Also it is weird - their Figure 1 "Weekly Deaths...by predominant variant" uniquely runs the calendar axis backwards. ??????
Congratulations on your new post with the CDC. They are lucky to have you.
Please know that for people under 65, it is extremely difficult to get Paxlovid. Many doctors steer their patients away - rebound, metal mouth. The pharmacies displayed on the healthdata.gov “test to treat” map erroneously list locations where pharmacists aren’t authorized to prescribe Paxlovid. I’ve seen Kaiser refuse Paxlovid to someone in her early 40s with oxygen in low 90s. I’ve seen doctors push antibody infusions (and refuse Paxlovid), possibly because they are trying to maximize profits for the health system in which they work. People with Covid have little energy, and when they hear “no” from their doctor, they often give up trying to get Paxlovid. One friend in her mid 50s had to try three times before finally getting a prescription from a telehealth 800-number doctor found on Google who charged her $165 for a 10 minute phone consult (after both her doctor’s office and CVS said no). Access to Paxlovid for the 50-64 age group needs to be fixed.
Congratulations on officialdom! One "ask" from the cheap seats: Could you convince the CDC to include the info for various categories of high-risk folks, elders, and children at the bottom of all the same new-info pages, or at least explicit links to our version of the update? I've been having a lot of frustration over only the center of the bell curve being discussed and then only-sometimes a blanket statement that "other demographics may need to consider this differently" with no linkage to the new risk information or guidance for us. I'm the biologist of the family and unofficially in charge of COVID news and jargon translation. The dead end on the CDC's update pages makes it hard to keep my older parents updated appropriately, to keep my diabetic friends up-to-date, and to find out what I need to consider as an asthmatic and/or as a moderately immunocompromised person. From the disability community, that non-inclusion keeps feeding the deep abandonment-anger towards the CDC. Fingers crossed, thanks for trying.
My cousin’s son died suddenly, two days ago, from apparent heart failure. He was 48 years old, an attorney, married with one-year old twins. He had a serious heart condition that precluded him from being vaccinated. He was receiving excellent medical care, but had been told that, with 60% cardiac function, he was not yet eligible for the heart transplant that he would eventually need. Two months ago, despite taking all precautions, he contracted what seemed at the time to be a mild case of COVID. He received all available therapeutics. Some of us in the family suspect that COVID played a role in his sudden heart failure. We need more data on long-term effects of COVID, particularly in vulnerable populations.
Graphics are excellent and really help to understand death due to COVID. It's great that later Omicron variants are less deadly.
What I would like to know is if there is a change in Long Covid with later Omicron variants. Is it still around 20% that are impacted? I still know so many people with new diagnoses following their Covid infections. And those with lasting symptoms.
So far I am Covid free - although I dine outdoors, mask indoors, and test when I can't mask, so I don't have many exposures.
I apologize, and I also congratulate your position. The information you provide is so helpful, especially for we who are immunocompromised. The reason I apologize is that I just returned to November 16 report from you, and I saw that you answered my question there. Please ignore my messages today. I am going to have my EVUSHELD today, but then the future looks bleaker for me going forward. I will continue to mask, and I know my family will be careful. Thank you for caring.
Communications regarding Novavax and continuing the pursuit of truly sterilizing vaccines rather than being complacent with the endless variant-chasing MRNA approach would be amazing.
I and many others feel like every decision the CDC and FDA make are “what’s best for Pfizer” rather than “what’s best for the people”.
When you see ads on TV for Paxlovid and the suggestion that unending mRNA boosters are the finish line it’s hard to think otherwise (not to mention everything Wolensky has said/done throughout the pandemic and Gottlieb’s role as a Pfizer board member and FDA Commissioner).
p..s. I am 86 years old who is healthy. I still mask indoors, do not attend church but attend via internet, have not dined inside a restaurant since March 2020, and my family is very careful. Living in the Midwest, my window of outdoor activities, especially dining, has closed.
So glad that the CDC hired you to help with getting the word out. I stumbled upon your substack through another connection in June. I run a small nonprofit, and was fortunate to be aware of the coming of Covid-19 in Feb 2020. We have to be available to the public 24x7, so being forewarned allowed us to set up remotely before the pandemic hit. Having this information readily available is so important. As a non medical layperson working in social services, I thank you for your practical guidance.
Congrats 👏 on the CDC appointment! Well deserved and definitely needed! Loved your appearance earlier in the year on WNYC with Brian Lehrer and I hope this new gig leads to more opportunities for you to do that kind of communication.
One suggestion for you - I spent close to 40 years in the biopharmaceutical industry. I had to prepare, present and interpret data for myself, my colleagues and management on a daily basis. I personally find many of the graphics used in the CDC summary you just reviewed baffling, especially the stacked line chart graphs. Please convince the powers that be that simpler, more straightforward presentations of critical data will go a long way to better communication and engagement by a wider public audience.
I can think of no one more qualified to share important information from the CDC.
You have been an invaluable resource for those of us who have been following you.
I am beyond thrilled to have you consulting for the CDC on science COMMUNICATION! You have been my go-to for clear and accurate communication from the start. It is my profound hope that you will lead the charge back to a CDC we can trust.
Please have them emphasize air quality and ways to mitigate that work: high-quality masks, well maintained HEPA filters, and fresh air.
Thank you for joining up with CDC. As a retired fed, these agencies try their best, and the people on the ground a dedicated to public health. I hope you can break through the bubbles of those that are anti-science or indifferent.
Congratulations to you, Dr. Jetelina for the recognition of your unique contributions to public health and medical reporting! It's well-deserved. Just make sure you don't become a pawn of the CDC, which has thoroughly disgraced itself since the start of the pandemic.
Cheers
Your graphics continue to be Excellent - making the point without being overcomplicated.
Your comment about people who should be getting Paxlovid struck home. My 64 year old brother, who is in fairly good shape but is a type 2 diabetic, and his wife, who is also a type 2 diabetic both got Covid. They had both been recently boosted for the 2nd time. What happened after that was a complete FAILURE of the healthcare system. He calls his phyician and receives his Paxlovid and though he was, as he stated, sicker than he ever has been, he recovered at home. His wife, unknown to the rest of the family, NEVER hears back from her physician and passes her window. She has a less severe but much longer course. MY Point = the health care system is broken. Physicians and nurses are barely recovering from this epidemic and I doubt the private, group practitioner or city or University associated hosptials can survive another. We need an overhaul of our Health "Business" system.
We now hava a Health Business and doctors are leaving this broken system at an accelerated rate. As a physician who is now retired, it is tragic to see Health as a Business model,as it is soul less and though the young think their good health will protect them - it will not. A business run Health system is lethal.
MDMMD
Congrats. They NEED you. Don't let anyone say you have gone over to the other side. Thank God you are there. Also never let them muzzle you by innuendo, order, or implication.
Please note: Tell the CDC their "technical reports" must be available in PDF format and not just for "print" to facilitate further distribution. Also it is weird - their Figure 1 "Weekly Deaths...by predominant variant" uniquely runs the calendar axis backwards. ??????
Congratulations on your new post with the CDC. They are lucky to have you.
Please know that for people under 65, it is extremely difficult to get Paxlovid. Many doctors steer their patients away - rebound, metal mouth. The pharmacies displayed on the healthdata.gov “test to treat” map erroneously list locations where pharmacists aren’t authorized to prescribe Paxlovid. I’ve seen Kaiser refuse Paxlovid to someone in her early 40s with oxygen in low 90s. I’ve seen doctors push antibody infusions (and refuse Paxlovid), possibly because they are trying to maximize profits for the health system in which they work. People with Covid have little energy, and when they hear “no” from their doctor, they often give up trying to get Paxlovid. One friend in her mid 50s had to try three times before finally getting a prescription from a telehealth 800-number doctor found on Google who charged her $165 for a 10 minute phone consult (after both her doctor’s office and CVS said no). Access to Paxlovid for the 50-64 age group needs to be fixed.
Congratulations on officialdom! One "ask" from the cheap seats: Could you convince the CDC to include the info for various categories of high-risk folks, elders, and children at the bottom of all the same new-info pages, or at least explicit links to our version of the update? I've been having a lot of frustration over only the center of the bell curve being discussed and then only-sometimes a blanket statement that "other demographics may need to consider this differently" with no linkage to the new risk information or guidance for us. I'm the biologist of the family and unofficially in charge of COVID news and jargon translation. The dead end on the CDC's update pages makes it hard to keep my older parents updated appropriately, to keep my diabetic friends up-to-date, and to find out what I need to consider as an asthmatic and/or as a moderately immunocompromised person. From the disability community, that non-inclusion keeps feeding the deep abandonment-anger towards the CDC. Fingers crossed, thanks for trying.
My cousin’s son died suddenly, two days ago, from apparent heart failure. He was 48 years old, an attorney, married with one-year old twins. He had a serious heart condition that precluded him from being vaccinated. He was receiving excellent medical care, but had been told that, with 60% cardiac function, he was not yet eligible for the heart transplant that he would eventually need. Two months ago, despite taking all precautions, he contracted what seemed at the time to be a mild case of COVID. He received all available therapeutics. Some of us in the family suspect that COVID played a role in his sudden heart failure. We need more data on long-term effects of COVID, particularly in vulnerable populations.
Congrats! So thrilled on your role with the CDC!
Graphics are excellent and really help to understand death due to COVID. It's great that later Omicron variants are less deadly.
What I would like to know is if there is a change in Long Covid with later Omicron variants. Is it still around 20% that are impacted? I still know so many people with new diagnoses following their Covid infections. And those with lasting symptoms.
So far I am Covid free - although I dine outdoors, mask indoors, and test when I can't mask, so I don't have many exposures.
It gives me a lot of joy and hope that the CDC is consulting with you on communication!
I apologize, and I also congratulate your position. The information you provide is so helpful, especially for we who are immunocompromised. The reason I apologize is that I just returned to November 16 report from you, and I saw that you answered my question there. Please ignore my messages today. I am going to have my EVUSHELD today, but then the future looks bleaker for me going forward. I will continue to mask, and I know my family will be careful. Thank you for caring.
Communications regarding Novavax and continuing the pursuit of truly sterilizing vaccines rather than being complacent with the endless variant-chasing MRNA approach would be amazing.
I and many others feel like every decision the CDC and FDA make are “what’s best for Pfizer” rather than “what’s best for the people”.
When you see ads on TV for Paxlovid and the suggestion that unending mRNA boosters are the finish line it’s hard to think otherwise (not to mention everything Wolensky has said/done throughout the pandemic and Gottlieb’s role as a Pfizer board member and FDA Commissioner).
p..s. I am 86 years old who is healthy. I still mask indoors, do not attend church but attend via internet, have not dined inside a restaurant since March 2020, and my family is very careful. Living in the Midwest, my window of outdoor activities, especially dining, has closed.
So glad that the CDC hired you to help with getting the word out. I stumbled upon your substack through another connection in June. I run a small nonprofit, and was fortunate to be aware of the coming of Covid-19 in Feb 2020. We have to be available to the public 24x7, so being forewarned allowed us to set up remotely before the pandemic hit. Having this information readily available is so important. As a non medical layperson working in social services, I thank you for your practical guidance.