On Point | Podcast Did 'An Abundance of Caution' during COVID do more harm than good for America's students?
May 5, 2025
David Zweig, a journalist and author of 'An Abundance of Caution', discusses the fallout of prolonged school closures during COVID-19. He highlights how misinformation and political pressures shaped the narrative around safety for children, often overlooking the low risks they faced. Zweig critiques the lack of accountability and strategic planning from public health officials, revealing that these decisions disproportionately harmed underprivileged students. He emphasizes the need for evidence-based approaches to education and rebuilding trust in science.
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Zweig's Early COVID School Observations
- David Zweig noticed early that the risk to children from COVID was low and schools reopening in Europe showed no negative impacts.
- This contrasted sharply with the media and public perception in the United States, prompting his investigation.
School Openings Didn't Increase Spread
- Studies showed community infection rates, not school openings, drove COVID spread.
- This information, known early from Europe and Asia, was underreported in the U.S.
No Plan Beyond CDC Guides
- The absence of a national plan for schools during COVID wasn't solely Trump's failure.
- Public health officials like Fauci and Birx followed CDC plans, which lacked detailed school strategies.
