COVID-19 articles from Dr. Tom Frieden over the past 2 months - all in one place, along with some podcasts
January 22
Jan 22: article in STAT: 3 key questions about novel coronavirus in Wuhan China
On January 22, Dr. Frieden wrote about the need to learn more about the pathogen, a summary of some of the first scientific articles, the need for more investment in global preparedness, broader reflections on politics and epidemics, and analysis of the implications of extensive spread in one hospital in Wuhan. At the request of China CDC, he outlined 5 components that contribute to the US CDC’s effectiveness keeping the U.S. and world safer. He also published this analysis of reasons for both optimism and pessimism, as well as some next steps in either case.
February 25
By February 25, it was clear that the virus would become a pandemic, and he outlined the next steps we need to take to reduce the health, social, and economic harms it will cause.
February 28
On February 28, along with colleagues from Resolve to Save Lives, he analyzed how to assess the severity of the pandemic and how to save the most lives and they repeated this analysis stratified by age group with updated information on March 10.
March 2
On March 2, Dr. Frieden called onCongress to protect the United States by including funding for global health protection in the supplemental appropriation. He outlined 19 critical data gaps we need to fill to respond effectively to COVID-19.
March 8
CNN Health: It’s time to restrict visits to nursing homes
By March 8, it was clear that COVID-19 would hit the US hard and Dr. Frieden called for restricting visits to nursing homes and a series of other measures to be taken by everyone, medically vulnerable people, health care systems, and the government. As the pandemic hit the US, he urged 10 steps to prevent what could be a large disaster taking as many as 1 million lives. Dr. Frieden also reflected on the most important lessons from the Ebola epidemic to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Frieden clarified the differences between flu and COVID-19, and noted that although too many people will die from this, it, too, will pass.
March 16
As the pandemic spread in the U.S., on March 16, he wrote of 7 potentially deadly errors in the response. Dr. Frieden outlined some the most important questions about the virus and how we might answer them. As a New Yorker, when COVID-19 began to spread widely in our city, he urged residents to protect themselves and others and looked forward to some positive results the tragic pandemic might bring. Drs. Shahpar and Frieden summarized the reasons for concern about the possibility that the need for intensive care could far outstrip supply in the United States.
Facing the acceleration phase of the pandemic in New York City and learning from experiences around the world, Dr. Frieden suggested a war strategy to confront the virus, updating the strategy published one month earlier. Stopping smoking, getting physical activity, controlling diabetes all build our resistance, and so may getting enough Vitamin D, and, more broadly, how we need to better prevent and control heart disease to increase individual and community resilience. Alarmed by haphazard and misinformed approaches to resuming social activity, he outlined a strategy to restart activities as soon and safely as possible, turning the faucet slowly rather than opening the floodgates.
March 18
Joined by colleague Dr. Christopher Lee, he reviewed the scientific data on superspreading events and the implications for control of COVID-19.
March 27
Alarmed by the continued large numbers of patients seeking care for mild illness, he urged New Yorkers with symptoms to stay home unless they have trouble breathing. Based on work fighting epidemics in the U.S. and globally, he recommended ways to improve management of the U.S. response.
March 30
Recalling Surgeon General Koop’s letter to every household in the United States in 1988, he drafted a letter that could be sent – along with a digital thermometer – to every household today.
March 31
He wrote to clear the air on coronavirus testing and outline a way forward that puts testing in the context of comprehensive pandemic control, and joined his long-time colleague Dr. Sam Dooley in providing practical tips for the public to stay safer.
April 1-6
Following a media briefing and press statement on the topic, Dr. Frieden outlined the way forward to reopen society as soon and safely as possible without risking explosive spread of the virus.
He summarized simple steps everyone can take to reduce risk.
April 9
He joined Dr. Sam Dooley in answering common questions about mail, packages, and groceries for those who are worried about doing this in the time of COVID-19. One month after outlining 19 questions about COVID-19, Drs. Frieden and Shahpar provided a detailed review of the astonishing progress answering most of these questions – and the crucial 6 questions that still need to be answered.
April 11
I spoke with Fox News about #BoxItIn and in my Op-Ed for today’s New York Times I outlined why and how the administration needs to let CDC guide the work to reopen our communities and economy as soon and safely as possible.
Podcasts and interviews
Podcast with Senator Bill Frist, MD
Council on Foreign Relations podcast Why It Matters
Council on Foreign Relations 1 hour session for business