On the Media: "Our Unfinished Pandemic" – Detailed Summary

Released April 8, 2022 by WNYC Studios

Introduction

In the episode titled "Our Unfinished Pandemic," hosts Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger delve deep into the enduring challenges posed by COVID-19 in the United States. The discussion centers on the normalization of mass death, the overlooked epidemic of Long Covid, and the complexities of narrating an ongoing pandemic. Through insightful interviews with experts like Ed Young from The Atlantic and science journalist Laura Spinney, the episode unpacks the multifaceted impacts of the pandemic and the lessons yet to be learned.

The Normalization of Mass Death and Pandemic Fatigue

Guest: Ed Young, Staff Writer at The Atlantic

Ed Young begins the conversation by highlighting a concerning trend: COVID-19 has become the third leading cause of death in the U.S., yet it fails to evoke the same urgent response as other mass mortality events. He observes, “Why doesn't it provoke the same kind of visceral reaction?” (07:37). Young attributes this to a combination of fatalism and systemic failure. Despite the U.S. being touted as the most prepared country for a pandemic, the response has been inadequate, leading to a sense of nihilistic abandonment among the populace.

Young critiques the false dichotomy presented to the public: either implement draconian lockdowns or do nothing, neglecting the multitude of intermediate measures that could mitigate the virus's impact. He emphasizes the role of individualism in public health messaging, noting, “The rhetoric of individual responsibility... is antithetical to actually controlling an infectious disease” (12:13). This focus shifts blame onto individuals rather than addressing systemic issues that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Young cites a study revealing that when white Americans are informed about racial disparities in COVID deaths, their perception of the pandemic's seriousness diminishes (10:17).

Key Points:

• COVID-19's high mortality rate is becoming background noise.
• Systemic failures and a misplaced emphasis on individual responsibility hinder effective pandemic management.
• Marginalized communities bear the brunt of the pandemic, yet their suffering is often overlooked.
• Lack of national memorials or collective mourning exacerbates the emotional toll, leaving millions in solitary grief (16:42).

The Burden of Long Covid

Guest: Laura Spinney, Science Journalist for Nature

Laura Spinney shifts the focus to Long Covid, a chronic condition affecting millions globally. Spinney references a study estimating $386 billion in lost wages and medical expenses in the U.S. alone (22:56). She underscores the critical oversight in policymaking, where Long Covid remains underrepresented on data dashboards and is largely ignored in public discourse.

Drawing parallels to the 1918 flu pandemic, Spinney discusses long-term neurological effects like encephalitis lethargica and its historical aftermath, where many survivors developed Parkinson's-like symptoms decades later (24:17). She highlights the challenge of causal linkage, pointing out that despite strong statistical correlations, the biological connections remain unproven.

Spinney advocates for a shift in public health priorities, urging policymakers to recognize Long Covid's enduring impact. She envisions a future where societies become more disability-friendly, incorporating the lessons learned from the pandemic to create more flexible and inclusive systems in education, justice, and the workplace (32:07).

Notable Quotes:

• “Long Covid... has cost a cumulative 386 billion in lost wages, savings and medical expenses in the US alone as of January” (22:56).
• “If safety is a matter of personal responsibility, then so is remembrance” (16:42).
• “Public health has always privileged the acute over the chronic” (31:59).

Key Points:

• Long Covid represents a significant, often overlooked, burden on public health and the economy.
• Historical analogs like the 1918 flu reveal patterns of long-term health consequences.
• There is an urgent need for policy recognition and support for those affected by Long Covid.
• Societal shifts towards flexibility and inclusivity can mitigate the impact of future pandemics.

Storytelling and the Pandemic Narrative

In a creative segment, Micah Loewinger and Rachel Pilch Loeb explore how narratives shape our understanding of the pandemic, drawing inspiration from Kurt Vonnegut's theory on the geometrical shapes of stories.

Using Vonnegut's model, they categorize stories like "Man in a Hole" and "Boy Gets Girl," illustrating how popular narratives follow predictable arcs of fortune and misfortune. Loewinger relates this to the pandemic's trajectory, observing, “If you pull up a graph of the pandemic, you can see this ebb and flow of cases, a long, rippling Vonnegut curve, up and down and up” (50:57). However, the pandemic defies simple storytelling, presenting a complex, non-linear narrative that lacks a clear resolution.

Rachel Pilch Loeb points out that persistent variations and fluctuations in case numbers make the pandemic a "bad story" in Vonnegut's terms, as it fails to provide a satisfying or conclusive ending (51:02). This ongoing, unresolved narrative contributes to public fatigue and the perception that the pandemic is an endless struggle.

Loewinger and Pilch Loeb discuss the psychological impact of viewing the pandemic through simplistic story arcs, where constant changes in fortune can lead to emotional numbness and a sense of being "trapped in a cycle" (48:18). They argue for a more nuanced storytelling approach that embraces complexity and fosters a deeper understanding of collective experiences.

Notable Quotes:

• “A pandemic is a story. Right. A pandemic should have a beginning, middle, and end” (49:42).
• “We're talking about kind of a global story, a national story, a community story, and a personal story” (53:42).
• “As Vonnegut observed, some of the best stories don't make that landing and don't need to” (55:18).

Key Points:

• Narrative frameworks influence how the public perceives and responds to the pandemic.
• The non-linear nature of COVID-19 challenges traditional storytelling models.
• Embracing complexity in narratives can enhance public understanding and engagement.
• Persistent story arcs without resolution contribute to pandemic fatigue and emotional disengagement.

Conclusion

"Our Unfinished Pandemic" thoughtfully examines the enduring and evolving challenges of COVID-19, emphasizing the need for systemic change and comprehensive understanding. Through expert insights and creative analysis, the episode underscores that the pandemic's impact extends beyond immediate health concerns, shaping societal structures and collective narratives for years to come.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Ed Young on public health messaging: “The rhetoric of individual responsibility... is antithetical to actually controlling an infectious disease” (12:13).
• Laura Spinney on Long Covid's economic impact: “Long Covid... has cost a cumulative 386 billion in lost wages, savings and medical expenses in the US alone as of January” (22:56).
• Discussion on pandemic storytelling: “A pandemic is a story. Right. A pandemic should have a beginning, middle, and end” (49:42).
• Vonnegut-inspired reflection: “As Vonnegut observed, some of the best stories don't make that landing and don't need to” (55:18).

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the episode's exploration of the pandemic's normalization, the overlooked crisis of Long Covid, and the challenges of narrating an ongoing global health crisis. It provides listeners with a detailed overview of the discussions, supported by key quotes and timestamps for reference.