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A quick thing to say, and with a note that me saying this is not to downplay any concerns that people have about the many things.
I would like to say a big thanks to all my infectious disease colleagues. Legends, all of you.
I would like to say a big thanks to all my infectious disease colleagues. Legends, all of you.
Because our ID colleagues have been dealing, day in and day out with a bazillion queries and a lot of stress. And they do this in the context of rapidly evolving evidence of what’s what. And evidence that isn’t actually that easy to rely on because it is all uncertainties.
And I would just note, and with kindness extended to all, that if you are tempted to think those working in ID are forgetting the people on the frontline, or not thinking about implications of their ‘calls’, then I can only reflect on my own experience of how much they worry.
Perhaps it is pertinent to remember that the vast majority of people in medicine get into it wanting to try very hard to do their best at the thing they do, pretty much all the time.
And if you are moved to extend that effort into speaking up for all the justifiable worries and concerns, it might be worth pausing to think ‘well if I was in the position of those ID types, how would I be exercising every moment?’
Because what I have seen is every ID person I know agonising. How good is this evidence? Are we looking at the right thing? If this evidence is a bit tricky, here should I make the judgment call?
If I make a suggestion to escalate now, will we be burning through PPE for no purpose, and leaving us short when we really need it? How do I make folks feel safe and reassured, but also not overcall?
If you don’t work in ID, and you have agonised over any part of this, how much would you agonise over it if it was your actual specialty?
Because this is every day for that crew.
I think it is unlikely that folks in those positions are not trying to balance every bit of it. It is unlikely they are not examining the available evidence over and over.
And my personal experience is that they are endeavouring very hard to make recommendations to focus on keeping folks safe. Including colleagues.
Because they are our colleagues.
And if you’ve ever wished that people would start with the thought ‘I bet they are trying their absolute best to do their best’ when it comes to you doing your job, maybe start at that point with ID colleagues.
And that doesn’t mean ‘don’t examine things’ or ‘don’t ask questions’. But maybe we should start from a point of assuming their best effort. Not that they aren’t taking it seriously enough.
