One of the untold stories of the COVID pandemic in the US is the role of medical and public health professionals in spreading disinformation, pushing for policies that exacerbate the virus' spread, and drive people away from important interventions, particularly vaccines, which blunt the deadly effects of SARSCOV2. Because of professional courtesy, solidarity or just sheer cowardice, many inside the professions have refused to take on these frauds, egomaniacs, purveyors of sickness and suffering in white coats. Jonathan Howard's book We Want Them Infected, though, names names. In painstaking detail, he builds an indictment of these men and women who have blood on their hands, abusing the trust of millions to peddle lies and falsehoods. This book is one for the ages, making it hard to sweep the complicity of these individuals with the virus under the carpet, leaving a record for the future, a cautionary tale for all of us.
Gregg Gonsalves, PhD
Associate Professor, Yale School of Public Health
Associate Professor (adjunct), Yale Law School
The legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic will haunt our nation (United States) for many years. This is true not only because of the horrific toll of more than one million American deaths, and those who lost loved ones, but also several failed public health policies that contributed to America's suffering. In "We Want Them Infected" Dr. Howard tells a dark story of how spurious concepts of herd immunity may have contributed to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States (and perhaps globally). His book provides important information about how we might limit the death and destruction of future virus pandemics.
Dr. Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, DSc (hon), FASTMH, FAAP
Texas Children's Hospital: Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics Co-Director, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development Baylor College of Medicine: Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine Professor, Departments of Pediatrics, Molecular Virology & Microbiology Health Policy Scholar Rice University, Baker Institute Fellow in Disease & Poverty, Texas A&M University, Faculty-Senior Fellow, Hagler Inst for Advanced Study & Scowcroft Institute of Intl Affairs