Covid-19 has been, in many ways, a high watermark moment for public health. Over the last year, health authorities have engaged with the public, with the goal of influencing behavior in order to save lives. And the public has largely listened, making drastic changes to their lives in the name of health.
A key reason, perhaps, that public health advice has so resonated is that it has tried to offer clarity in the midst of a disorienting moment. This clarity comes largely from our data. Throughout Covid-19, public health recommendations have largely been supported by our growing knowledge of the disease. For example, the data reliably show that the virus spreads through the air, via person-to-person contact. This allows us to clearly say that masks and physical distancing are an effective means of slowing the disease’s spread. This clarity has led to the widespread embrace of these measures, which have come to define our response to Covid-19.