NPR has a fascinating article titled, “40 Years Later: The Denialism That Shaped The AIDS Epidemic.” It describes how fear funneled misinterpreted theories in a time of panic and confusion, and how this was ultimately exacerbated by politicians’ dismissal of the issue. Reagan’s refusal to say the word “AIDS” until 4 years into the epidemic, Senator Helms trying to block education that would encourage or condone homosexuality: these are just a few examples of how the silence of powerful political actors can cost thousands of lives. It is chilling the way history repeats itself, as 40 years later we find ourselves in similar waters.

Denialism is two-fold in it’s impact; misinformation or misinterpretation stokes the fire of disbelieving scientists altogether and it makes blatantly clear which communities we as a society have left behind. When Reagan won’t say the word AIDS or Trump blocks scientists and officials from the CDC from speaking to the media about COVID-19, misinformation spreads like wildfire. Not only does a lack of accurate information lead to distrust, but it encourages many to mirror the rhetoric of their elected leaders and, ultimately, undercut the true impact of the disease. Injustice in health has been present in both pandemics, as both of these diseases have been the most rampant and fatal in marginalized communities. In the 1980’s and 90’s, black men who had sex with men saw some of the highest rates of infection and fatality. Today, indigenous people, Latinx people, and African Americans are two times more likely to die from COVID than white Americans, people with disabilities have a 3 times higher risk for death from COVID, and people living in extreme poverty grew by 115 million in 2021 due to the effects of COVID-19.

Government response has played a key role in both the AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics; their silence was loud, catastrophic, and fatal. I was especially inspired by Sandra Thurman’s concept that attaching stories to our data can make all the difference. Discussions surrounding COVID so often deal in percentages – like fatality or hospitalization rates – and I think such a clinical approach has made many feel detached from the humanity and gravity of COVID’s destruction. One million people have died in the United States. One million. Six million people have died globally. Disproportionately, these deaths have been people from marginalized, impoverished, or under-resourced communities. We have looked back on the AIDS crisis in shock of how much loss could have been prevented had political actors advocated for science and destigmatization, and I believe we will find ourselves in a similar position in 40 years, reflecting on COVID. As stated by Noel King in the NPR article, “Expertise tells us a virus doesn’t care who you have sex with or how, what drugs you use or whether you think it’s real. A virus doesn’t want you to get a vaccine or wear a mask. It wants to live. To live, it needs to spread. And with every denial, we send it on out into the world to live.”