Having a healthy public is crucial if we are to face another pandemic.

Lockdowns did little to nothing to slow the spread of the COVID-19 during the pandemic. It was hypocritical for our politicians to shut down our beaches and parks and force small businesses to lockdown while allowing for the “big box” stores to remain open. It is borderline unforgivable for these politicians to have driven so many Americans to despair, while retaining their paycheck, ask for re-election, and lie to the American people that it was COVID-19, not them, that closed down businesses.

Furthermore, it is ridiculous for politicians to continuously tout that a vaccine is the best and only option to slow the spread of COVID-19 or prevent hospitalizations or deaths from COVID-19, or any other disease, when there are clearly other solutions and preventative measures. Bodily autonomy is a basic human right. Despite well-intentioned pleas to serve the greater good, the government’s coercion to inject a drug into any human is repugnant and laying the pathway to a dystopian future no American wants to live in.

The mishandling and lack of basic compassion from our elected leaders during this pandemic is unacceptable. We have been focusing too much on pursuing public health, and not giving enough focus to having a healthy public.

We must promote the importance of having a healthy lifestyle and healthy immune system in our culture. Education is key in fighting co-morbidities which accounted for a large portion of deaths in conjunction with COVID-19. We must use funds for more public service announcements promoting healthy eating and active lifestyles since our society has shifted from a labor intensive work force to a more sedentary work force.

Going forward, the best preparation for the inevitable pandemics to come is understanding the importance of being healthy and physically fit.  According to the CDC, “About 78% of people who have been hospitalized, needed a ventilator or died from Covid-19 have been overweight or obese”. 

If for some reason one is unable to incorporate a healthy diet due to financial hardship or lack of access, government can assist and look for pathways to ensure all people have access to healthy food, gym memberships, and public parks.

One of the main problems for our unhealthy culture is that unhealthy foods are easy to access and inexpensive, and the healthy foods are expensive and harder to access. This is a problem. Therefore, I would seek to incentivize privately-owned companies and local farms, with tax-credits, to offer ethically produced, clean, healthy and nutritious food to their communities.. I would also look at current regulations that make it cost prohibitive for companies to provide such products. I would also expand the WIC program to serve more families and increase the farmers market vouchers to help struggling families obtain more healthy food choices directly from small sustainable farms, as opposed to unhealthy foods which keep us sick and prevent us from thriving and being prosperous.