September 9,2020 Dear Colleagues,...September 9,2020 Dear Colleagues, As infectious diseases...
Transcript of September 9,2020 Dear Colleagues,...September 9,2020 Dear Colleagues, As infectious diseases...
September 9, 2020
Dear Colleagues,
As infectious diseases physicians and researchers, microbiologist and immunologists,
epidemiologists and health policy leaders, we stand united in efforts to develop and promote
science-based solutions that advance human health and prevent suffering from the coronavirus
pandemic. In this pursuit, we share a commitment to a basic principle derived from the
Hippocratic Oath: Primum Non Nocere (First, Do No Harm).
To prevent harm to the public’s health, we also have both a moral and an ethical responsibility tocall attention to the falsehoods and misrepresentations of science recently fostered by Dr. Scott
Atlas, a former Stanford Medical School colleague and current senior fellow at the Hoover
Institute at Stanford University. Many of his opinions and statements run counter to established
science and, by doing so, undermine public-health authorities and the credible science that
guides effective public health policy. The preponderance of data, accrued from around the
world, currently supports each of the following statements:
� The use of face masks, social distancing, handwashing and hygiene have been shown to
substantially reduce the spread of Covid-19. Crowded indoor spaces are settings that
significantly increase the risk of community spread of SARS-CoV-2.
� Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 frequently occurs from asymptomatic people, including
children and young adults, to family members and others. Therefore, testing
asymptomatic individuals, especially those with probable Covid-19 exposure is important
to break the chain of ongoing transmission.
� Childrenof all ages can be infectedwith SARS-CoV-2.While infectionis lesscommon
in children than in adults, serious short-term and long-termconsequencesof Covid-19are
increasinglydescribed in children and young people.
� The pandemic will be controlledwhen a large proportionof a populationhas developed
immunity(referredto as herd immunity)and that the safest path to herd immunityis
throughdeploymentof rigorouslyevaluated,effective vaccines that have been approved
by regulatoryagencies.
Commitment to science-based decision-making is a fundamental obligation of public
health policy. The rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the US, with consequent morbidity
and mortality, are among the highest in the world. The policy response to this pandemic
must reinforce the science, including that evidence-based prevention and the safedevelopment, testing and delivery of efficacious therapies and preventive measures,
including vaccines, represent the safest path forward. Failure to follow the science -- or
deliberately misrepresenting the science – will lead to immense avoidable harm.
We believe that social and economic activity can reopen safely, if we follow policies that
are consistent with science. In fact, the countries that have reopened businesses and
schools safely are those that have implemented the science-based strategies outlined
above.
As Stanford faculty with expertise in infectious diseases, epidemiology and health policy,
our signatures support this statement with the hope that our voices affirm scientific,
medical and public health approaches that promote the safety of our communities and
nation.
PhilipA.Pizzo,MD
Professorof Pediatrics(InfectiousDiseases)and ofMicrobiologyand ImmunologyandFormerDean,StanfordSchoolof MedicineandFoundingDirector,StanfordDistinguishedCareers Institute
� Incontrast,encouragingherd immunitythrough uncheckedcommunitytransmissionis
not a safe public healthstrategy. Infact, this approachwould do the opposite,causinga
significant increaseinpreventable cases, sufferingand deaths,especiallyamong
vulnerablepopulations,such as older individualsand essential workers.
UpiSingh,MD
Professorof Medicine(InfectiousDiseaseandGeographicMedicine)andofMicrobiologyandImmunologyandChief,Divisionof InfectiousDiseases
BonnieMaldonado,MD
Professorof Pediatrics(InfectiousDiseases)and ofEpidemiologyandPopulationHealthChief,DivisionofPediatricInfectiousDiseasesandSenior AssociateDeanforFacultyDevelopmentandDiversity
MicheleLucyShapiro,PhD Barry,MD
ProfessorofDevelopmental ProfessorofMedicineand
BiologyandDirector,Beckman SeniorAssociateDeanfor
CenterforMolecularand GlobalHealthandDirector,
GeneticMedicine CenterforInnovationinGlobal
HealthandSeniorFellow,
WoodsInstituteandthe
FreemanSpogliInstitutefor
InternationalStudies
CharlesProber,MD
ProfessorofPediatricsandof
MicrobiologyandImmunology
andSeniorAssociateVice
ProvostforHealthEducation
SteveGoodman,MD,
MHS,PhD
ProfessorofEpidemiologyand
PopulationHealthand
AssociateDeanofClinicaland
TranslationalResearch
DavidRelman,MD
ProfessorofMedicine
(InfectiousDiseases)andof
MicrobiologyandImmunology
andSeniorFellow,Freeman
SpogliInstituteforInternational
Studies
JulieParsonnet,MD
ProfessorofMedicine
(InfectiousDiseasesand
GeographicMedicine)andof
EpidemiologyandPopulation
Health
SteveLuby,MD
ProfessorofMedicine
(InfectiousDiseases)
andofEpidemiology
andPopulationHealth
andSeniorFellow,
FreemanSpogliInstitute
HarryGreenberg,MD
ProfessorofMedicineandof
MicrobiologyandImmunology
andAssociateDeanfor
Research
LeeM.Sanders,MD,MPH
AssociateProfessorofPediatrics
andofHealthResearchand
Policy(Epidemiology)and
Chief,DivisionofGeneral
Pediatrics
AnnArvin,MD EdwardS Mocarski,
ProfessorofPediatricsJr,PhD
(InfectiousDiseases)andof Professorof
MicrobiologyandImmunology Microbiologyand
andFormerViceProvostand Immunology,Emeritus
DeanofResearch
DylanJohn Boothroyd,PhD Dodd,MD,PhD
Professorof Microbiologyand AssistantProfessorof
Immunology Pathologyand of
Microbiologyand
Immunology
JasonAndrews,MD,SM,
DTM&H
AssociateProfessorof
Medicine(InfectiousDiseases)
andof Epidemiologyand
HealthPolicy
DavidStuddert,LLB,MPH, MichelleMello,JD,
ScD PhD
Professorof Law andMedicine, Professorof Medicine(Health
StanfordHealthPolicy,Stanford Policy)andProfessorof Law
Law School
Joshua Salomon,PhD
Professorof Medicine(PrimaryCareandOutcomesResearch)andSenior Fellow,FreemanSpogli Institutefor InternationalStudies
MelissaBondy,PhD
Professorand Chair ofEpidemiologyandPopulationHealthandCo-Directorof theStanfordCenterfor PopulationHealthSciences
John Carette, PhD
Associate Professor ofMicrobiology and Immunology
ManuelRicardoAmieva,MD,PhD
Professorof Pediatrics(InfectiousDiseases)and ofMicrobiologyandImmunology
LoreneNelson,PhD,MA
AssociateProfessorofEpidemiologyandPublicHealthandFacultyDirectorof the StanfordCenterforPopulationHealthSciences
AbrahamVergheseMD,MACP,FRCP(Edin)
LindaR.Meierand Joan F.Lane ProvostialProfessor,ViceChair for the TheoryandPracticeof Medicine
JasonStephenJ Galli,MD Wang,MD,PhD
Professorof Pathologyandof AssociateProfessorof Pediatrics
Microbiologyand Immunology andMedicineandof Health
andFormerChair,Department ResearchandPolicyand
of Pathology Director,Center for Policy,
Outcomesand Prevention
AnnHsing,PhD,MPH
Professorof Medicine(Stanford
PreventionResearch
Center/CancerInstitute)and
Epidemiologyand Population
Health
EstherJohn,PhD,MSPH
Professor,Departmentof
EpidemiologyandPopulation
HealthandCo-leader,
PopulationSciencesProgram,
StanfordCancerInstitute
ThomasC Merigan,MD
Professorof Medicine,Emeritus
FormerDivisionChiefDirector,
Center for Aids Research,
Emeritus
SteveAsch,MD,MPH
Professorof Medicine,Primary
CareandPopulationHealth
DavidA. Stevens,M.D., GaryK.Schoolnik,MD
F.A.C.P.,F.A.A.M.,F.I.D.S.A.Professorof Medicine-
Professorof Medicine- InfectiousDiseases,Emeritus
InfectiousDiseases,Emeritus
andPresident,California
InstituteforMedicalResearch,
InfectiousDiseasesResearch
Laboratory,Calif.Inst.for Med.
Res.
Jack Remington,MD
Professorof Medicine(InfectiousDiseases)and Chief,PaloAltoMedicalResearchFoundation
Stan Deresinski,MD,FIDSA
ClinicalProfessorof MedicineInfectiousDiseasesandGeographicMedicine
Holden Terry Maecker, PhD
Professor of Microbiology andImmunology
ArunaSubramanian,MD
ClinicalProfessorof Medicine,Chief, ImmunocompromisedHost InfectiousDiseasesDivisionof InfectiousDiseasesandGeographicMedicine
Helen M Blau, PhD
Professor of Microbiology andImmunology and Director,Baxter Laboratory for Stem CellBiology
Cornelia L.Dekker, MD
Professor of Pediatrics(Infectious Diseases), Emerita
ShiritEinav,MD
AssociateProfessorMedicine-InfectiousDiseasesandGeographicMedicineand ofMicrobiologyand Immunology
Wah Chiu, PhD
Professor of Bioengineering andof Microbiology andImmunology
DeanL.Winslow,MD,FACP,FIDSA,FPIDS
Professorof Medicine–InfectiousDiseases
Denise Monack, PhD
Professor of Microbiology andImmunology
RobertShafer,MD
Professorof MedicineDivisionof InfectiousDiseasesandGeographicMedicine
Doug K Owens, MD, MS
Professor of Medicine andSenior Fellow, Freeman SpogliInstitute for InternationalStudies
Cybele A.Renault,MD,DTM&H
ClinicalAssociate Professor(InfectiousDiseases)Program
Lead for Global Health
(StanfordInternalMedicineResidencyProgram)
Hector Bonilla, MD
Clinical Associate Professor ofMedicine Infectious Diseasesand Geographic Medicine
ElizabethSharon Chen,MD,MS S. Egan, MD,PhD
ClinicalAssociate Professorof Assistant Professorof Pediatrics
Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases) (Infectious Diseases) and the
Tashia and John Morgridge
EndowedFaculty Scholar
Jenny R.Aronson, MD
ClinicalAssistant
ProfessorDivision of Infectious
Diseases and Geographic
Medicine
CatherineBlish, MD, PhD Paul L.Bollyky,MD,D.Phil
Associate Professorof Medicine Associate ProfessorDivisionof
Infectious Diseases and Infectious Diseases Department
Geographic Medicine and of Medicine
Immunology
SrutiTalalSeddick,MD Nadimpalli,MD
ClinicalAssistantofProfessor ClinicalProfessorof
of Pediatrics(Infectious Pediatrics(Infectious
Diseases) Disease)
TimStearns,PhD
ProfessorofBiologyandof
GeneticsandSeniorAssociate
ViceProvostforResearch
MichaelFischbach,PhD
AssociateProfessorof
Bioengineeringandof
MicrobiologyandImmunology
MayaAdam,MD
ClinicalAssistantProfessorof
PediatricsandDirectorof
HealthMediaInnovation
KerwynCaseyHuang,PhD
Professorof Bioengineeringand
of Microbiologyand
Immunology
SamanthaJohnson,MD,MPH PhilipM.Grant,MD
ClinicalAssociateProfessorof AssistantProfessorofMedicine
Pediatrics(InfectiousDiseases) InfectiousDiseasesand
GeographicMedicine
JakeScott,MD
ClinicalAssistantProfessorofMedicineInfectiousDiseasesandGeographicMedicine
Dora Ho, MD, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor ofMedicine Infectious Diseasesand Geographic Medicine
RoshniMatthew,MD
ClinicalAssistantProfessorofPediatrics(InfectiousDiseases)andAssociateMedicalDirector,InfectionPrevention& Control
Clea Sarnquist, MD
Clinical Professor of Pediatrics(Infectious Diseases)
Justin Sonnenburg,PhD
AssociateProfessorofMicrobiologyandImmunologyandCo-Director,CenterforHumanMicrobiomeStudies
MarisaHolubar,MDMS
ClinicalAssociateProfessorofMedicineInfectiousDiseasesandGeographicMedicineandAssociateDirector,StanfordAntimicrobialSafetyandSustainabilityProgram
Joanna Nelson,MD
ClinicalAssistantProfessorDepartmentof Medicine–InfectiousDiseases
MichaelPeter Sarnow, PhD Baiocchi, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Assistant Professor, Department
Immunology of Epidemiology and
Population Health
Glenn M.Chertow, MD,
MPH
Norman S. Coplon Satellite
Healthcare Professor of
Medicine, and by courtesyDepartment of Epidemiology
and Population Health
Bonnie Halpern-Felsher,PhD,
FSAHM
Professor of Pediatrics, TaubeEndowedResearchFaculty
Scholar Professor,and
by courtesy Departmentof Epidemiology and
PopulationHealth, Director of
Fellows’ Scholarship,Department of Pediatrics,
Director of Research, Division
of Adolescent Medicine
A.C. Matin, PhD
Professor of Microbiology andImmunology
Hayley Gans
Clinical Professor, Pediatrics -Infectious Diseases
PaulGrahamFisher,MD
Professor, Neurology andPediatrics, and by courtesy,
Neurosurgery, Epidemiology and
PopulationHealth, and HumanBiology, The Beirne Family
Professor of Pediatric Neuro-
Oncology, The Dunlevie FamilyUniversity Fellow in
Undergraduate Education, Chief,
Divisionof Child Neurology,Vice Chair,Faculty Affairs,
Department of Neurology
VictorHenderson,MD
Professor,Departmentof
EpidemiologyandPopulation
Health
TaiaT. Wang,MD,PhD,MSCI
Assistant Professorof Medicineandof MicrobiologyandImmunology
Lisa Goldman-Rosas,PhD,
MPH
Assistant Professor, Department
of Epidemiology and Population
Health, Director, Office ofCommunity Engagement
Tina Hernandez-Boussard,
PhD, MPH,MS
Associate Professor ofMedicine, Biomedical Data
Science, and Surgery, and
by courtesy Departmentof Epidemiology and Population
Health
AbbyKing,PhD
Professor, Epidemiology and
PopulationHealth, andMedicine (StanfordPrevention
ResearchCenter)
Director, Healthy AgingResearch & Technology
Solutions (HARTS)Laboratory
Faculty Director, Our VoiceGlobal Citizen Science
InitiativePast President,Society of
Behavioral Medicine
MitchellR.Lunn,MD,MAS,
FACP,FASN
Assistant Professor of
Medicine, and by courtesy,
Department of Epidemiologyand Population Health
MindieH.Nguyen,MD,MAS,
AGAF,FAASLD
Professor, Department of
Medicine, and by courtesy
Department of Epidemiology
and Population Health
Latha Palaniappan,MD,MS,
FAHA,FACC,FACP
Professor of Medicine,Department of Medicine
(Primary Care and Population
Health) and, by courtesy,Department of Epidemiology
and Population Health
AllisonW. Kurian,M.D.,
M.Sc.
Associate Professor of Medicine(Oncology) and of Epidemiology
and Population Health
Associate Chief for AcademicAffairs, Division of Oncology
Director, Women’s Clinical
Cancer Genetics Program,Co-leader, Population Sciences
Program,Stanford CancerInstitute
KariNadeau,MD,PhD
Naddisy Foundation Professor ofPediatric FoodAllergy,
Immunology and Asthma,
Professor of Pediatrics andProfessor by Courtesy of
Otolaryngology Head & NeckSurgery at LPCH and
Department of Epidemiology and
Population Health
MichelleC.Odden,PhD
AssociateProfessor,Department
of EpidemiologyandPopulation
Health
LesleyS. Park,PhD,MPH
Instructor, Department of
Epidemiology and PopulationHealth, Associate Director,
Stanford Center for Population
Health Sciences
LianneKurina,PhD
Associate Professor, Primary
Care and Population Health,Bing Director of the Program in
Human Biology
LoreneNelson,PhD,MS
Associate Professor, Departmentof Epidemiology and Population
Health Faculty Director of
Research, Stanford Center forPopulation Health Sciences
Juno Obedin-Maliver,MD,
MPH,MAS
Assistant Professor, Departmentof Obstetrics and Gynecology
and, by courtesy, Department ofEpidemiology and Population
Health
RitaA.Popat,PhD
ClinicalAssociateProfessor,
Departmentof Epidemiology
andPopulationHealth
DavidH Rehkopf,ScD,MPH
Associate Professor,
Departments of Epidemiologyand PopulationHealth,
Department of Medicine,
(Primary Care and PopulationHealth),Co-director, Stanford
Center for PopulationHealth
Sciences
GaryM.Shaw,DrPH
NICUNurses EndowedProfessor of Pediatrics,
Associate Chair Dept of
Pediatrics, Department ofPediatrics and, by courtesy,
Department of Epidemiology
and Population Health
HollyTabor,PhD
Associate Professor,
Department of Medicine and bycourtesy, Department of
Epidemiology and Population
Health) and Associate Director,
Stanford Center for BiomedicalEthics
Thomas N. Robinson,MD,
MPH
Professor of Pediatrics and ofMedicine and, by courtesy,
Department of Epidemiology and
Population Health
Julia F Simard,ScD
AssociateProfessor,Department
of Epidemiology& Population
Health
AliceS. Whittemore,Ph.D.
Professor (Emerita) of
Epidemiology and BiostatisticsDepartments of Epidemiology
and Population Health
and of Biomedical Data Science
KristinSainani,PhD
AssociateProfessor,Department
of EpidemiologyandPopulation
Health
MarciaL.Stefanick,PhD
Professor of Medicine (StanfordPrevention Research Center),
Professor of Obstetrics &
Gynecology, and by courtesyProfessor of Epidemiology and
Population Health, Director,
Stanford Women’s Health andSex Differences inMedicine
(WHSDM) Center