Potus Geeks Summer Reruns: Presidents and Pandemics
In April of this year, the posts in this community discussed past occasions in history when Presidents have been confronted with pandemics, epidemics, and other outbreaks of disease, either nationally or sometimes personally. At the end of the series, on April 30, 2020, the essay reposted below was written, outlining lessons learned from the study of pandemics in the past 250 years. These are our conclusions on what we have learned during that time.
On March 13, President Donald Trump designated the coronavirus pandemic as a national emergency. By then, the number of known cases of the coronavirus in the country exceeded 1,500, and known deaths from the virus were over 40. Less than two weeks later, on March 26, the United States became the nation with the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 infections, with over 82,000 cases. On April 11, the U.S. became the country with the highest official death toll for COVID-19, with over 20,000 deaths. The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General released a report in April of its survey of 323 hospitals in late March. The report disclosed severe shortages of test supplies and extended waits for results, widespread shortages of personal protective equipment, and other strained resources due to extended patient stays while awaiting test results. As of April 28, there were 981,246 cases of the virus in the nation and 55,258 persons had died from it.
As has been seen from this series, pandemics are not a new phenomenon and the nation's history contains many examples of times when disease has ravaged the population. From the earliest times, George Washington and other founding fathers had to confront smallpox and yellow fever with primitive vaccination techniques. The 19th century had outbreaks of typhoid fever and cholera that may have even taken the lives of three presidents. These and other diseases such as tuberculosis, and diphtheria also spread throughout the nation at various times, bringing death and devastation to families, including first families, with a number of children of Presidents claimed by these illnesses over the years.
In the early part of the 20th century, while much of the world was at war, the most devastating pandemic since the plagues of medieval times struck, a strain of influenza which unfairly became known as the Spanish Flu. Significant lessons were learned, including the importance of social distancing and other healthy practices that could be employed to restrain the spread of the disease. The importance of the distribution of public notice about the spread of these viruses and the folly and stupidity of attempting to hush up any bad news was a lesson learned, and often learned the hard way. The influenza was misnamed the Spanish Flu because only the King of Spain had the good sense to publicly tell the world that the virus was claiming the lives of his citizens (and which he personally experienced), while other world leaders operated under the misguided notion that this was somehow an important state secret. We have since learned that covering up such news only empowers the ability of the virus to be spread among an ignorant populace and is one of the worst possible strategies for the problem.
In the latter part of the 20th century and the early part of this century, new diseases and viruses would have to be confronted. Poliomyelitis, malaria, rubella, HIV/aids, swine flu, Zika, SARS, MERS and other challenging medical emergencies would confront Presidents and their citizens. One president, Franklin Roosevelt, would excel in leading his nation through difficult times, while suffering from what was believed to have been polio (though this may have been a misdiagnosis). That he had to hide his condition from the public is a shameful testament to the power of groundless prejudice.
Sometimes Presidents were slow learners, though eventually the message would get through. Dwight Eisenhower was reluctant to get vaccinated for the so-called "Asian Flu" until it was pointed out to him that as a senior citizen with a history of heart problems, he was in a high risk demographic, and perhaps his example of getting vaccinated might save the lives of others in similar positions. George W. Bush transitioned from initially being unconcerned about the challenge of pandemics until a book about the 1918-20 pandemic opened his eyes and led him to become perhaps the most enlightened president of our lifetime when it came to appreciating the need for proper planning for the pandemic that was yet to come.
Other times in history, presidents have been too quick to react, as may have been the case when the Gerald Ford administration pressed for release of a vaccine for Swine Flu that was not properly tested and may have led to an increase in cases of another disease, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a condition which can cause paralysis, respiratory arrest, and death. Over 25% of the population received the deficient vaccine before the error was corrected, sowing the seeds of an anti-vaccination movement that still exists today.
Throughout history there have been many occasions when science has saved the day for those ravaged by pandemics, by development of safe and effective vaccines. This was the case as early as the 18th century when Edward Jenner developed a smallpox vaccine that saved many from an early death. Vaccines for polio, developed by Jonas Salk and later by Albert Sabin, have practically eliminated a condition that frightened many 20th century parents, and it was the development of a vaccine that put an end to concerns about the "Spanish Flu" and many subsequent viruses. It is the hope and expectation of many people that the development of a vaccine for Covid-19 will be the last chapter in what has become one of the strangest times in our lives.
History is a valuable teacher, only if its lessons are learned and followed. What has history taught about pandemics over the past 250 years?
1. Keeping quiet about a pandemic is the wrong thing to do. Rather than report flu symptoms in 1918, the prevailing mindset of the time was one of censorship, both about President Woodrow Wilson's illness and about the widespread effects of the flu. Authorities in all of the great powers claimed that they were doing this "to maintain morale". Censors prevented early reports of the virus, except in Spain, creating the false impression that the flu was unique to that nation, giving rise to the pandemic's inaccurate nickname, "Spanish flu". This strategy enabled the virus to spread among an ignorant public, making the problem much worse than it might otherwise have been.
2. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Whatever criticisms people might have of his presidency, George W. Bush obsessed about having his administration officials plan for the next pandemic, resulting in a comprehensive plan for pandemic preparedness. Though subsequent budget cuts delayed or prevented proper implementation of the plan when Covid-19 hit, this only served to validate Bush's foresight and to demonstrate the importance of pandemic preparedness as a priority on par with many other homeland security measures.
3. Listen to the scientists. Pandemics have always been best contained through the properly following the recommendations of epidemiologists and other medical experts. Those toiling away at finding a vaccine do not present as having any agenda other than the safety of the public and eradication of devastating diseases. Public health officers like Dr. Anthony Faucci have served in both Democratic and Republican administrations showing no favor or prejudice to either side. A common sight throughout this pandemic has been the presence of dedicated public health officers giving members of the public a straight bill of goods, good news and bad, about what to do and what not to do, as a virus attempts to spread worldwide.
4. Science trumps politics. Nothing is gained by trying to obtain political advantage from a pandemic or by using a pandemic to discredit one's political adversaries. To the contrary, doing so can sometimes have tragic consequences, as was the case in 1976 when pressure to release a vaccine that had not been properly tested resulted in an increase in cases of another terrible illness.
5. Ignorance and misinformation make matters worse. Those who spread the gospel of anti-vaccination, especially those with ostensible credibility like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., close minds and prevent people from taking proper measures to keep themselves and others safe. This is especially so at a time when social media enables the rapid distribution of misinformation cloaked as reality. Echo chambers and artificial intelligence generated targeted messages and search results funnel this misinformation to like-minded individuals, making social media a Petri dish for its growth. Off the cuff remarks by prominent individuals such as some of those attributed to President Trump create the false impression of minimizing the severity of a pandemic. It is important for Presidents and others with a large audience to halt the spread of misinformation and correct the messages of others who are doing so.
6. Pandemics hurt economies, but proper measures to prevent their spread do not worsen the problem. To the contrary, economic studies have shown that those economies that take stronger measures to safely deal with a pandemic recover faster and better than those that rush a return to pre-pandemic conditions.
With diligence and intelligent effort, a safe and effective vaccine may be developed and promptly made available in order to bring about a timely return to the pre-Covid world. But even after Covid-19 is just a memory, leaders of world nations will be called upon to ensure that an early warning system is put in place for the next pandemic and that sufficient resources are devoted for testing, public awareness and development and distribution of new vaccines.
On March 13, President Donald Trump designated the coronavirus pandemic as a national emergency. By then, the number of known cases of the coronavirus in the country exceeded 1,500, and known deaths from the virus were over 40. Less than two weeks later, on March 26, the United States became the nation with the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 infections, with over 82,000 cases. On April 11, the U.S. became the country with the highest official death toll for COVID-19, with over 20,000 deaths. The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General released a report in April of its survey of 323 hospitals in late March. The report disclosed severe shortages of test supplies and extended waits for results, widespread shortages of personal protective equipment, and other strained resources due to extended patient stays while awaiting test results. As of April 28, there were 981,246 cases of the virus in the nation and 55,258 persons had died from it.
As has been seen from this series, pandemics are not a new phenomenon and the nation's history contains many examples of times when disease has ravaged the population. From the earliest times, George Washington and other founding fathers had to confront smallpox and yellow fever with primitive vaccination techniques. The 19th century had outbreaks of typhoid fever and cholera that may have even taken the lives of three presidents. These and other diseases such as tuberculosis, and diphtheria also spread throughout the nation at various times, bringing death and devastation to families, including first families, with a number of children of Presidents claimed by these illnesses over the years.
In the early part of the 20th century, while much of the world was at war, the most devastating pandemic since the plagues of medieval times struck, a strain of influenza which unfairly became known as the Spanish Flu. Significant lessons were learned, including the importance of social distancing and other healthy practices that could be employed to restrain the spread of the disease. The importance of the distribution of public notice about the spread of these viruses and the folly and stupidity of attempting to hush up any bad news was a lesson learned, and often learned the hard way. The influenza was misnamed the Spanish Flu because only the King of Spain had the good sense to publicly tell the world that the virus was claiming the lives of his citizens (and which he personally experienced), while other world leaders operated under the misguided notion that this was somehow an important state secret. We have since learned that covering up such news only empowers the ability of the virus to be spread among an ignorant populace and is one of the worst possible strategies for the problem.
In the latter part of the 20th century and the early part of this century, new diseases and viruses would have to be confronted. Poliomyelitis, malaria, rubella, HIV/aids, swine flu, Zika, SARS, MERS and other challenging medical emergencies would confront Presidents and their citizens. One president, Franklin Roosevelt, would excel in leading his nation through difficult times, while suffering from what was believed to have been polio (though this may have been a misdiagnosis). That he had to hide his condition from the public is a shameful testament to the power of groundless prejudice.
Sometimes Presidents were slow learners, though eventually the message would get through. Dwight Eisenhower was reluctant to get vaccinated for the so-called "Asian Flu" until it was pointed out to him that as a senior citizen with a history of heart problems, he was in a high risk demographic, and perhaps his example of getting vaccinated might save the lives of others in similar positions. George W. Bush transitioned from initially being unconcerned about the challenge of pandemics until a book about the 1918-20 pandemic opened his eyes and led him to become perhaps the most enlightened president of our lifetime when it came to appreciating the need for proper planning for the pandemic that was yet to come.
Other times in history, presidents have been too quick to react, as may have been the case when the Gerald Ford administration pressed for release of a vaccine for Swine Flu that was not properly tested and may have led to an increase in cases of another disease, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a condition which can cause paralysis, respiratory arrest, and death. Over 25% of the population received the deficient vaccine before the error was corrected, sowing the seeds of an anti-vaccination movement that still exists today.
Throughout history there have been many occasions when science has saved the day for those ravaged by pandemics, by development of safe and effective vaccines. This was the case as early as the 18th century when Edward Jenner developed a smallpox vaccine that saved many from an early death. Vaccines for polio, developed by Jonas Salk and later by Albert Sabin, have practically eliminated a condition that frightened many 20th century parents, and it was the development of a vaccine that put an end to concerns about the "Spanish Flu" and many subsequent viruses. It is the hope and expectation of many people that the development of a vaccine for Covid-19 will be the last chapter in what has become one of the strangest times in our lives.
History is a valuable teacher, only if its lessons are learned and followed. What has history taught about pandemics over the past 250 years?
1. Keeping quiet about a pandemic is the wrong thing to do. Rather than report flu symptoms in 1918, the prevailing mindset of the time was one of censorship, both about President Woodrow Wilson's illness and about the widespread effects of the flu. Authorities in all of the great powers claimed that they were doing this "to maintain morale". Censors prevented early reports of the virus, except in Spain, creating the false impression that the flu was unique to that nation, giving rise to the pandemic's inaccurate nickname, "Spanish flu". This strategy enabled the virus to spread among an ignorant public, making the problem much worse than it might otherwise have been.
2. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Whatever criticisms people might have of his presidency, George W. Bush obsessed about having his administration officials plan for the next pandemic, resulting in a comprehensive plan for pandemic preparedness. Though subsequent budget cuts delayed or prevented proper implementation of the plan when Covid-19 hit, this only served to validate Bush's foresight and to demonstrate the importance of pandemic preparedness as a priority on par with many other homeland security measures.
3. Listen to the scientists. Pandemics have always been best contained through the properly following the recommendations of epidemiologists and other medical experts. Those toiling away at finding a vaccine do not present as having any agenda other than the safety of the public and eradication of devastating diseases. Public health officers like Dr. Anthony Faucci have served in both Democratic and Republican administrations showing no favor or prejudice to either side. A common sight throughout this pandemic has been the presence of dedicated public health officers giving members of the public a straight bill of goods, good news and bad, about what to do and what not to do, as a virus attempts to spread worldwide.
4. Science trumps politics. Nothing is gained by trying to obtain political advantage from a pandemic or by using a pandemic to discredit one's political adversaries. To the contrary, doing so can sometimes have tragic consequences, as was the case in 1976 when pressure to release a vaccine that had not been properly tested resulted in an increase in cases of another terrible illness.
5. Ignorance and misinformation make matters worse. Those who spread the gospel of anti-vaccination, especially those with ostensible credibility like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., close minds and prevent people from taking proper measures to keep themselves and others safe. This is especially so at a time when social media enables the rapid distribution of misinformation cloaked as reality. Echo chambers and artificial intelligence generated targeted messages and search results funnel this misinformation to like-minded individuals, making social media a Petri dish for its growth. Off the cuff remarks by prominent individuals such as some of those attributed to President Trump create the false impression of minimizing the severity of a pandemic. It is important for Presidents and others with a large audience to halt the spread of misinformation and correct the messages of others who are doing so.
6. Pandemics hurt economies, but proper measures to prevent their spread do not worsen the problem. To the contrary, economic studies have shown that those economies that take stronger measures to safely deal with a pandemic recover faster and better than those that rush a return to pre-pandemic conditions.
With diligence and intelligent effort, a safe and effective vaccine may be developed and promptly made available in order to bring about a timely return to the pre-Covid world. But even after Covid-19 is just a memory, leaders of world nations will be called upon to ensure that an early warning system is put in place for the next pandemic and that sufficient resources are devoted for testing, public awareness and development and distribution of new vaccines.