AJPH | COMMENTARY: "Lessons learned From the COVID-19 pandemic: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it"
Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, professor in the departments of Epidemiology and Community Health Sciences, shared his views of the lessons of COVID-19.
In a commentary published in the January edition of the American Journal of Public Health, UCLA Fielding's Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, professor in the departments of Epidemiology and Community Health Sciences, shared his perspective on the lessons learned of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"As the world has transitioned to an endemic phase of COVID-19, the lessons learned of vigilance, adaptation, and resilience must remain at the forefront. Although the evolutionary path of the virus may continue to lead to less severe outcomes, akin to the re-spiratory viruses of the common cold (four strains of which are human coronaviruses “estimated to cause between 15%–30% of common colds in adults”), complacency is not an option.
Our collective ability to respond effectively to future threats will depend on the maturity of our global society and our willingness to recognize that interdependence is an operational necessity. An analogy of the world as a human body is particularly apt: just as the health of one part affects the whole, the well-being of every nation and community affects global stability. This will require an organic transformation of societal structures, placing justice and empathy at the center of public health policy.
The COVID-19 pandemic was, and continues to be, a profound challenge. Yet it also offered an opportunity for transformative growth. By learning from past mistakes and successes - in preparedness, response, communication, and equity - and by integrating ethical principles into the very fabric of scientific and public health endeavors, we can build a more resilient and just society as well as promote trust and integrity in public health.
Let us seize this moment to forge a future in which science and ethics walk hand in hand, communication is clear and inclusive, and the health of every individual is recognized as vital to the health of all."
