With school starting across the country, these officials should set clear rules that guard public health as a goal bigger than any one person’s individual risk.

 

Op-Ed: The CDC loosened its COVID rules. Who fills in this public health vacuum?

“We have been waiting for three summers for some higher authority to tell us how to navigate Covid. There is none,” wrote the directors of an overnight camp one of our children attended. “There is no local, state or federal authority mandating that we do anything in terms of Covid and our unique congregate-living environment. ...We’ve been left to our own devices.”

Halfway through this summer, COVID was spreading and the camp faced a choice. If it ramped up testing, many COVID-positive campers would be sent home to isolate even if they just had mild symptoms. On the other hand, if it didn’t test, COVID would spread further. Some kids and staff might have more severe symptoms or end up with long COVID.

The camp doctors, with the support of camp directors, made the choice. The end result? A request to parents to sign a waiver and select this option: “Please DO NOT test my Camper for Covid-19 if he/she/they present with mild cold symptoms.” In other words, let COVID spread...

Op-Ed: The CDC loosened its COVID rules. Who fills in this public health vacuum? - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)