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SER Presidential Address On
Critical Factors Behind The COVID Pandemic Gets Replayed As An Op-Ed
In The New York Times
“Science Alone Can’t
Heal A Sick Society”. That’s the provocative title of a compelling
op-ed essay written by McGill University epidemiologist Jay Kaufman
and published in the New York Times in mid-September.
Kaufman notes that
many theories and explanations have come and gone to explain the
patterns observed in the COVID pandemic, but the most consistent
association is the same one discovered by Rudolf Virchow in the
1800’s. That is, social factors best account for risks of infection,
hospitalizations, and deaths. In short, the pandemic is “socially
patterned”.
Relational Factors
According to Kaufman,
while wealth or lack of it explains some of the variation in risks
within populations, the best explanations for the patterns observed at
the higher levels of states and nations are relational factors such as
economic equality and social trust. He notes the pandemic has had the
greatest impact where political division and social conflict are at
more extreme levels. In short, the real problem says Kaufman is that
sick societies have sick institutions.
Science Also
Implicated
In his essay, Kaufman
reminds readers that epidemiologists are not immune from these
divisive social forces since they are both citizens as well as
scientists. Science has suffered from politicization by making
distorted perceptions and inferences and consequently has come under
doubt and suspicion. According to Kaufman, restoring faith in science
will require restoring faith in social institutions and this in turn
requires a political reckoning.
Other Observers
Agree
Kaufman is not alone
in pointing to the role of social dysfunction in battling COVID. For
example, a second guest essay in the Times entitled “American
Dysfunction Is the Biggest Barrier to Fighting Covid” has also been
published. And in writing about a new book called “Shutdown—How Covid
Shook the World’s Economy”, a Times reviewer points out …”we have
entered a state of dangerous incoherence: the separate understandings
of our world and its risks have become so divergent and so entrenched
that they pose their own existential threat by impeding our ability to
plan for, prevent, and react to the crises to come.”
Epi Monitor
Interview
Given the significance
of these insights and judgments and their importance in addressing the
challenges of our times, we interviewed Dr Kaufman to more fully
understand his thinking and what he sees for epidemiologists and other
citizens of democratic societies going forward. The interview is
published here as a special feature in our September issue. ■
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