By: Mark Glennon*
Whether from a biological weapon, a different virus or perhaps even a new COVID variant, another pandemic is nearly certain to happen, and it may be far deadlier than we have ever experienced.
But confidence in the public health establishment is shot. A Pew Research survey found just 29% of U.S. adults say they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public, down from 40% as recently as November. Another poll found that only 43% trust President Biden to provide them with accurate information about COVID, and that percentage was far lower for President Trump.
If there’s anything about COVID on which there should be consensus, it’s that confidence must be earned back. It will be earned back only with a comprehensive review of how the public health establishment managed or mismanaged the COVID pandemic, from the federal government down through state and local governments.
The first major test of whether Illinois will do its part is now at hand. The State of Illinois on Monday announced it will commence a national search to replace Dr. Ngozi Ezike, who will be stepping down as director of The Illinois Department of Public Health. As such, she was the state’s leading medical figure during the COVID pandemic.
That replacement will have an important role in whether confidence in public health officials and the medical establishment can be restored.
We think the loss of confidence is justified for many reasons we have written about, but that’s not the point here so we won’t list our complaints. And maybe a final retrospective will ultimately prove us wrong on some things. So be it.
The point, instead, is to get somebody at the helm who won’t be afraid to identify where mistakes were made, fix what didn’t work and stand up to politicians who pressure them to do otherwise.
So far, the government’s interest in honest self-inspection has been nonexistent. “The hegemon is still alive and shows few signs of remorse,” as a new column published by the Brownstone Institute puts it. Brownstone is led by a group of medical experts who have criticized much of that hegemon — the government and medical establishment and its approach to COVID.
That column is exactly right. Nobody has been held accountable — nationally, here in Illinois or in any other state we know of. Even at the disgraced Centers for Disease Control, nobody has been fired, despite its record hiding data, distorting studies and sometimes lying outright.
Ideally, the job spec for the search for Ezike’s replacement would say something like this:
Must Haves: Demonstrated track record showing ability to effectuate major policy change and willingness to challenge current orthodoxies. Ability to consider minority viewpoints and new ideas fairly. Indifference to political pressure. Commitment to publishing and sharing health data as it comes out and to transparency on scientific proof for policy decisions. Public record criticizing CDC guidance.
I know, I know, it’s naive to expect all that. The Brownstone column was particularly cynical about the chances that the federal government will ever engage in honest introspection about how it handled COVID. The author compared federal health authorities to the way Vladimir Putin allegedly described the United States on other matters. “Negotiating with the United States,” Putin supposedly said, “is like playing chess against a pigeon: It struts around the board, knocks over the pieces, shits everywhere, and then declares victory.”
Hopefully it’s not that bad, but with enough public pressure maybe Illinois could at least get somebody genuinely dedicated to getting things right for the next pandemic.
*Mark Glennon is founder of Wirepoints.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Ezike was Pritzker’s puppet. It is very interesting that she is stepping down now.
Pritzker is on a mission to hire someone who will fit into the Club. Someone who will think the way he does and do what he tells them to do. He needs someone subservient, complacent and most of all pliable. He needs someone who will agree with him and do his bidding. To hell with real science this person will be hired to promote Pritzker science.
Yes, and he seems to surround himself with females.
Perfect job description!
The new health director whomever he or she is will face the same headwinds the former director did. No medical advice can be given unless the treatment is approved by the FDA. Therein lies the problem. Health officials are bound by the FDA to use only approved therapies. Look at how they vilified Ivermectin. Whether Ivermectin worked for Covid or not you would know within 72 hours or less and if not there is still time to try other methods. Look at what happened to doctors who prescribed it or people needing to sue hospitals just to try it. I… Read more »
Right. The head of IDPH seems like a middle-manager job that takes orders from the Feds.
And you’re spot-on about the exercise thing. This is the only tweet from IDPH sent in the past two years that mentioned exercise was this one. If Ezike and her office emphasized proper diet and exercise during the pandemic, I’m not finding it.
https://twitter.com/IDPH/status/1260679432882262016
One ten second public service announcement. How many people actually saw that tweet? Notice they used the word germ and not break the Covid cycle. Using “Germ” instead of Covid protected them from the “Wrath of Fauci”. Any other terms like Vit D and Covid or B Complex/probiotics and Covid seemed to be forbidden by the overlords.
Great post.
Is there anything Dr. Ezike did well that stood out (in a good way) than what other states were doing or was ahead of the curve in how our response to the virus evolved over the past two years?
Like the vaccine rollout. Was that super efficient under her guidance?
Honest question. A lotta praise is gonna be heaped on her. Just how different could or would this have gotten with any other health figurehead in that role?
Yeah, she didn’t push vaccine or mask mandates, created all the clinics where people could get monoclonal antibodies if they came down with covid, made decisions based on data, oh wait, never mind, that was Florida
Well stated, Mark.
Unless rebuilt, the loss of credibility at all levels will create problems if/when we are faced with another health emergency.