Trump doesn’t care about your health. I’m a doctor, I know

Trump doesn’t care about your health. I’m a doctor, I know

Dr. Thomas K. Lew

In early 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I distinctly remember rounding on a patient in my hospital dying from respiratory failure – unfortunately, not an uncommon occurrence during that time. What stands out in my mind was that no matter how much oxygen he was hooked up to, my patient never took off his red “Make America Great Again” hat. And every time I would walk in, between his labored breaths, he would grumble about how evil Dr. Anthony Fauci was, how the newly released mRNA vaccines were dangerous, and how the Democrats wanted to control us with masking policies.

Experiences like this crystalized in my mind how intimately related politics can be with health care. Starting from the top, a trust in our public health system and in science itself could influence people to make healthier choices; on the other hand, leaders who breed distrust in these institutions could lead to death and suffering.

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