Debbie Lerman

That's brilliant. And thank you, Drew.

That's brilliant. And thank you, Drew.

Hi, thanks, Dr. Drew. I'm so excited to be here.

Hi, thanks, Dr. Drew. I'm so excited to be here.

Yeah. I don't know if I was suited for that. I kind of feel like the circumstances chose me because when COVID happened in March 2020, when the response started, the lockdowns and stuff, I was lucky enough to be someone who doesn't get too panicky about things. And also because of my background as a medical writer, I'm familiar. I'm not afraid to read medical documents, studies, and statistics.

Yeah. I don't know if I was suited for that. I kind of feel like the circumstances chose me because when COVID happened in March 2020, when the response started, the lockdowns and stuff, I was lucky enough to be someone who doesn't get too panicky about things. And also because of my background as a medical writer, I'm familiar. I'm not afraid to read medical documents, studies, and statistics.

And in addition to that, my husband is a doctor, so he's a good reference for me. So when everything started, I just started looking at the scientific literature and the numbers. I'm not on social media and I don't watch any news. So I get my news. I used to get my news from the New York Times and NPR. And now I get it from Substack.

And in addition to that, my husband is a doctor, so he's a good reference for me. So when everything started, I just started looking at the scientific literature and the numbers. I'm not on social media and I don't watch any news. So I get my news. I used to get my news from the New York Times and NPR. And now I get it from Substack.

Yeah, thanks. I'm really, thank you very much. I'm really excited about that. I'm not on X. I feel like for me, social media is counterproductive in terms of attention sucking. I also think it's not necessarily a constructive way to have dialogue. but I completely appreciate the reach and the audience. So I was not going on that.

Yeah, thanks. I'm really, thank you very much. I'm really excited about that. I'm not on X. I feel like for me, social media is counterproductive in terms of attention sucking. I also think it's not necessarily a constructive way to have dialogue. but I completely appreciate the reach and the audience. So I was not going on that.

First source material. And so it was clear from the very beginning that there was no big emergency and that everything that was happening was wrong. medically and scientifically, and in terms of public health. Because the first rule of public health is calm people down. That just makes sense. That's the absolute first rule in any person in public health before COVID will have told you that.

First source material. And so it was clear from the very beginning that there was no big emergency and that everything that was happening was wrong. medically and scientifically, and in terms of public health. Because the first rule of public health is calm people down. That just makes sense. That's the absolute first rule in any person in public health before COVID will have told you that.

Now only the ethical people will tell you that. So first you calm people down, then you figure out what's going on, and then you find the least disruptive way to deal with the outbreak. And as we know, none of those things were done.

Now only the ethical people will tell you that. So first you calm people down, then you figure out what's going on, and then you find the least disruptive way to deal with the outbreak. And as we know, none of those things were done.

Do no harm. Yes, correct. And so, unfortunately, what happened was mass panic occurred. And I realized pretty quickly because I was listening to the NPR and reading the New York Times that the media was playing a very large role in that.

Do no harm. Yes, correct. And so, unfortunately, what happened was mass panic occurred. And I realized pretty quickly because I was listening to the NPR and reading the New York Times that the media was playing a very large role in that.

And that was very scary to me because sources that I had relied on to be neutral and to be, you know, to do their research and to be scientifically reliable were not.

And that was very scary to me because sources that I had relied on to be neutral and to be, you know, to do their research and to be scientifically reliable were not.

And then the other thing that scared me a lot was that all my friends and family were panicking and not just panicking, but losing their minds as far as I was concerned in terms of accepting every edict that came down, not questioning anything like the masks and the social distancing and the lockdowns and later the vaccine mandates.

And then the other thing that scared me a lot was that all my friends and family were panicking and not just panicking, but losing their minds as far as I was concerned in terms of accepting every edict that came down, not questioning anything like the masks and the social distancing and the lockdowns and later the vaccine mandates.