Eyes on the End

Advocates say that a big fat COVID bill must come first, followed by a Medicare public option. (Oh ... and then there’s impeachment.)

It’s a way of analyzing the genetic makeup of different people’s HIV to draw connections among cases for prevention purposes—but some are worried it could be used to criminalize people with HIV.

The pandemic has definitely delayed things, say advocates, but overall the goal of stopping HIV in the U.S. by 2025 is still on track.

What would happen if we doubled the budget for an HIV cure? It would still be far less money than has already been spent on COVID-19 vaccines. Both are worthy of investment.

The newly updated plan, which is open for public comment until Dec. 14, is more closely in line with the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, and includes efforts to fight stigma and racial disparities.

Walensky is an expert on implementing health care solutions and is widely respected among HIV advocates. She’s also the second recent senior CDC hire who’s white, at a time when health crises are hitting people of color especially hard.

Demetre Daskalakis, M.D., who led New York City through seven years of bold programs that made the city’s HIV rates plunge, will take his prevention vision national starting Dec. 21.

Echoing nationwide reports, they cite more overdose deaths and dirty-needle use—and say that the governor could reverse much of the crisis with a stroke of the pen.

Getting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to more people who need it will take some legislative teamwork to overcome barriers, such as lack of incentive for pharmacists.

Until the United States takes public health seriously, consider pandemics a national security threat.