Nation has faltered in response to the pandemic

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues, intensified by the highly transmissible Omicron variant. Notwithstanding production of efficacious vaccines, the United States has faltered in its overall response to the pandemic, largely because it lacks key necessities to address public health crises.

First, we need a modernized data infrastructure to aggregate, analyze and visualize epidemiologic trends at the county, state, and national levels. Information including rates of test positivity, hospitalization, mortality, and immunization would be accessible for data input and output by all citizens.

The platform would also serve as the foundation for analytical modeling to best inform resource allocation through accurate, real-time data.

Second, the U.S. needs to expand a community-level workforce beyond the current county health platform. Similar in concept to a national guard, a mobilized community workforce would assemble and perform defined tasks including education, surveillance testing, and pharmaceutical administration in times of health crisis. Such a nimble workforce could potentially decrease spread of infection, preventing less social interruption and adverse economic impact.

Lastly, we need defined processes for consistent communication and information sharing. Inconsistent messaging and false propaganda have eroded public trust, resulting in detrimental choices and actions that run contrary to maintaining public health. Communication needs to be consistent at all levels of government and disseminated expeditiously in actionable forms that citizens can understand.

Investing in such provisions will not only maintain the physical and mental health of our country, but also demonstrate the global leadership that the U.S. must assume as future health challenges arise.

Dr. Jeffery J. Auletta, Columbus