Dr. Mike Trangle

You know, if Ebola ever becomes airborne, if, in fact, MPOX becomes much more efficient at airborne transmission, then I might be saying there's a third category. But right now it's flu and coronaviruses.

You know, if Ebola ever becomes airborne, if, in fact, MPOX becomes much more efficient at airborne transmission, then I might be saying there's a third category. But right now it's flu and coronaviruses.

Well, thank you both for your point and your question. To the point, I have always put forward that science is not about facts. Science is about learning. And you lay out the process of science is basically do this, doesn't work, you try that. You do this, you do that. Okay, and you learn from that. And then over time, facts will change as you learn more.

Well, thank you both for your point and your question. To the point, I have always put forward that science is not about facts. Science is about learning. And you lay out the process of science is basically do this, doesn't work, you try that. You do this, you do that. Okay, and you learn from that. And then over time, facts will change as you learn more.

But you prepare the public in advance for that and tell them, you know, this is what I'm going to do to learn more about that. And I think that for me, that has never felt uncomfortable or as if somehow I'm failing. And therefore, I don't get defensive. I say, I don't know. This is what I do know, though. This is how I know it.

But you prepare the public in advance for that and tell them, you know, this is what I'm going to do to learn more about that. And I think that for me, that has never felt uncomfortable or as if somehow I'm failing. And therefore, I don't get defensive. I say, I don't know. This is what I do know, though. This is how I know it.

And I think that too many of us feel obligated to be right and have the facts. that then locks us into, oh, wait a minute, that's not what really happened. And so I think that people understand what is happening. And let me give you, I think, an example of where we can learn. If you look at the US Weather Service and you look at the Hurricane Center, they have all these different models.

And I think that too many of us feel obligated to be right and have the facts. that then locks us into, oh, wait a minute, that's not what really happened. And so I think that people understand what is happening. And let me give you, I think, an example of where we can learn. If you look at the US Weather Service and you look at the Hurricane Center, they have all these different models.

They always tell you what the different models show, but this is what it could be. And You never hear people saying, they misled me. They told me I was supposed to do this and that because they gave me the variability. But you know what? They're pretty often right on the mark or close to it. But sometimes a curveball gets thrown in and suddenly it shears off to the right or to the left.

They always tell you what the different models show, but this is what it could be. And You never hear people saying, they misled me. They told me I was supposed to do this and that because they gave me the variability. But you know what? They're pretty often right on the mark or close to it. But sometimes a curveball gets thrown in and suddenly it shears off to the right or to the left.

And I think that we in science and medicine need to do much more of that kind of scoping to say, This is what we know. This is what we don't know. This is what we're finding out and go from there. So this is part of the communication issue I was talking about for public health.

And I think that we in science and medicine need to do much more of that kind of scoping to say, This is what we know. This is what we don't know. This is what we're finding out and go from there. So this is part of the communication issue I was talking about for public health.

We need to better understand how to communicate with the public in a way that they can understand where we're coming from.

We need to better understand how to communicate with the public in a way that they can understand where we're coming from.

Yeah, well, it's true. At the same time, some of the biggest challenges I've had is with my own colleagues. It's not the public. And the colleagues get out there and say things, okay? I mean, for example, there was a lot of BS put forward by some groups during the COVID about what masking could do or not do.

Yeah, well, it's true. At the same time, some of the biggest challenges I've had is with my own colleagues. It's not the public. And the colleagues get out there and say things, okay? I mean, for example, there was a lot of BS put forward by some groups during the COVID about what masking could do or not do.

And what I mean by that is, is that, you know, N95 respirators are highly effective in reducing the likelihood of becoming infected. But they equated anything you put in front of your face. And even if it was down below your nose, OK, well, that's not masking from a protection standpoint. Yet I heard people and saw people promoting all those things.

And what I mean by that is, is that, you know, N95 respirators are highly effective in reducing the likelihood of becoming infected. But they equated anything you put in front of your face. And even if it was down below your nose, OK, well, that's not masking from a protection standpoint. Yet I heard people and saw people promoting all those things.

And the public said, wait a minute, why are you telling me this now? You said I could do this. It was not said with credibility. And everybody has an opportunity to have a voice. Everybody can say this is what, you know, it is. And they become believable. And, you know, TV producers and oftentimes reporters don't know the difference.

And the public said, wait a minute, why are you telling me this now? You said I could do this. It was not said with credibility. And everybody has an opportunity to have a voice. Everybody can say this is what, you know, it is. And they become believable. And, you know, TV producers and oftentimes reporters don't know the difference.