CBP Source Fears 'Emergency' At The Border When Biden Admin Ends Title 42

 Update (1700ET): Fox News correspondent Hillary Vaughan confirmed, via a brief Twitter thread, that the Biden administration is preparing for the surge in migrants citing a source within CBP who has worked in law enforcement for 20+ years -  who is familiar with the process - who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity - who told her that DHS is bracing for as many as 500,000 migrants in the six weeks following Title 42 being lifted.

Her thread continues:

The CBP source telling me “If half a million people come in one month - that’s an emergency. There is no way we have enough federal agents and NGO’s and NGA’s. There’s not enough people going around. It’s literally going to be a revolving door. Getting people in - getting people out.”

CBP source says DHS is trying to figure out how to get enough medical personnel to provide the COVID vaccines the Biden administration promised migrants - as well as staff to handle any medical issues many migrants will have.

One idea being floated: pulling medical personnel from Veterans Affairs to assist “We’re going to take medical services away from people that really deserve that. Who went to combat…to give free medical attention to illegal migrants” CBP source tell me.

This CBP source tells me that due to the wave of migrants they are expecting after Title 42 lifts - Biden Admin is looking at doing NTA’s (notices to appear) with “minimal biometric data and vetting” to expedite processing.

This CBP source tells me that could mean skipping critical paperwork and vetting that would confirm they have the right name and date of birth for the person entering.

A CBP source tells me the Biden Admin is also looking at deploying a smart app for migrants to use to submit to pre-screening. There is talk of expanding the “CBP1 App” for migrants so they can submit pre-screening prior to approaching a point-of-entry.

This source telling me the “CBP1 app was originally devised to make it easier for known travelers to enter and go across the border…it’s now being thought of to use as an easy way for folks to get in”

CBP source tells me the Biden administration is preparing for double the number of migrants that came in 2021 - in the year after Title 42 lifts - “I would say its conservative to say double what came in last year”

Does anyone else think this sounds like yet another opportunity for the Biden administration to shoot itself in the foot ahead of the Midterms?

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As The Epoch Times' Mimi Nguyen Ly detailed earlier,  The White House was asked on Wednesday to comment on a report that said the Biden administration is expected to end a Trump-era immigration policy, known as Title 42.

The Title 42 policy implemented under the Trump administration in March 2020 enabled border agents to expel illegal immigrants back to Mexico immediately if they potentially pose a health risk amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Thursday, the Associated Press reported, citing anonymous sources, that the Biden administration, which has continued the policy, is expected to end it by May 23.

White House director of communications Kate Bedingfield was asked by a reporter whether the administration is “prepared to deal with the aftermath of ending Title 42 and the expected influx of migrants.”

Bedingfield did not confirm the AP report. She responded that the decision as to whether the administration would end Title 42 is “not an immigration or migration enforcement measure” but a “public health directive.”

“So the decision on when to lift Title 42 we defer to the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)],” she said.

The CDC is currently weighing up whether or not it will end Title 42 policy, and has until March 30 to complete its review.

‘Influx of People to the Border’

She continued, “That being said, of course we are planning for multiple contingencies, and we have every expectation that when the CDC ultimately decides it’s appropriate to lift Title 42, there will be an influx of people to the border.”

Bedingfield said the administration is “doing a lot of work to plan for the contingency.” She noted that on Tuesday the Department of Homeland Security held a briefing to review the plans it has to prepare for a potential spike in illegal immigrants at the border.

“So you heard from them yesterday on some of the planning that they’re doing more broadly—now, not specifically tied to Title 42 or an ultimate decision to lift it, but just more broadly to the work that they’re doing to continue to build up our migration system and ensure that we are restoring order at the border.”

DHS officials told reporters on Tuesday of contingency plans which include a scenario in which up to 18,000 border crossings could be seen per day. Currently, Border Patrol is seeing about 7,100 illegal immigrants a day.

“We need to be prepared for what we’re considering a potential contingency, which is that the lifting of Title 42 could increase flows,” a senior DHS official told reporters during the background briefing, multiple outlets reported.

The DHS on Wednesday released a fact sheet titled “DHS Preparations for a Potential Increase in Migration.” Without citing Title 42, the department noted “unprecedented levels of migration” to the border and that it is “implementing a comprehensive strategy to address a potential increase in the number of border encounters.”

Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz said on March 29 that the United States is on track to hit a million illegal alien encounters at the U.S.–Mexico border in the fiscal year 2022. The United States logged over 2 million illegal immigrant arrests in 2021.

Previously, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) led a group of Republican senators in issuing a letter (pdf) to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on March 24, urging the department to prepare in case Title 42 is lifted by the CDC. They said Title 42 is an “effective deterrent to illegal border crossings” and that lifting it would threaten to overwhelm the “already strained immigration system” and will exacerbate the situation at the border.

Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) also expressed concerns, writing in a March 24 letter (pdf) to President Joe Biden that the administration should, before making changes to Title 42, coordinate a “comprehensive plan that ensures a secure, orderly, and humane process at the border.”

The two Arizona senators on Wednesday discussed with Mayorkas about the prospect of ending Title 42 and the effects on local communities in the state if there is no plan to handle the influx of illegal immigrants. Sinema called for DHS to coordinate communications between federal, state, local, and non-governmental partners to strengthen cooperation, a strategy Mayorkas agreed to.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ending-title-42-may-bring-influx-border-white-house-says-dhs-prepares-contingency-plan

Easier, faster assay enables many more laboratories to identify COVID-19 variants

 A new study has found that the Novaplex SARS-CoV-2 Variant I, II, and IV real-time PCR assays (from Seegene Technology) can reliably detect SARS-CoV-2 in patient samples and identify known variants of interest and concern. Results from the PCR assays were comparable to those from the "gold standard" spike gene Sanger sequencing method. Researchers were also able to successfully streamline testing and reduce cost and turnaround time by processing samples without extracting RNA for testing. Their findings appear in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, published by Elsevier.

"Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) methodology for variant detection is accessible, rapid, simpler, and accurate compared to traditional sequencing," said lead investigator Ping Ren, PhD, Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. "Combining an extraction-free processing method with RT-PCR technology can help laboratories without sequencing capabilities track circulating variants and investigate variant-dependent effects on treatment efficacy and disease severity."

The I, II, and IV assays are designed to detect genetic mutations associated with the alpha, beta, delta, and epsilon variants of SARS-CoV-2. At the time of the study, the omicron variant had not yet emerged. RNA was extracted from each sample for testing by the Novaplex RT-PCR assays and Sanger sequencing. The samples were also directly tested without extraction of RNA by the Novaplex assays.

Of the 156 samples processed with RNA extraction, the RT-PCR assays identified 109 variants. The results were 100% in agreement with the Sanger sequencing test. The RNA extraction-free method was 91.7% as sensitive as the traditional RNA extraction method. In samples with a lower viral load, the extraction-free RT-PCR assays did not detect some mutations, presumably because of lower nucleic acid concentrations in the original samples.

"A major limiting factor for molecular SARS-CoV-2 assays is the shortage of RNA extraction reagents," explained co-lead author Marisa C. Nielsen, PhD, Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA. "Conventional extraction remains a time-consuming aspect of molecular diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. Recent CDC guidance recommends sequencing only for cases with a cycle threshold (Ct) value lower than 28, which indicates a higher viral load, because sequencing is less reliable in samples with lower viral loads."

"Although lower sensitivity was observed with the extraction-free method, it still represents a viable alternative," Dr. Nielsen added. "Spike sequencing is still necessary for detecting new variants."

RT-PCR assays can be tailored to include additional representative genes as different variants emerge and allow for more accessible variant detection and monitoring to inform public health and treatment decisions. While not included in this study, assays are now available to identify omicron-specific mutations.

"Determining the SARS-CoV-2 variant in individual patient samples can help guide treatment since some variants are more resistant to current treatment regimens," Dr. Ren observed. "However, the potential impact extends beyond individual patients and into the public health realm. It is important to track variant spread as part of public health surveillance because of variant-dependent transmission, disease severity, and treatment decisions.

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Story Source:

Materials provided by Elsevier. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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Journal Reference:

1. Marisa C. Nielsen, Rafael R.G. Machado, Brooke M. Mitchell, Allan J. McConnell, Nehad I. Saada, Scott C. Weaver, Ping Ren. A Comparison of Seegene Technologies Novaplex SARS-CoV-2 Variants I, II, and IV Assays with Spike Gene Sequencing for Detection of Known Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Variants. The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, 2022; DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2022.02.001

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220331151438.htm

NIH experts discuss controlling COVID-19 in commentary on herd immunity

 Achieving classical herd immunity against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, may not be attainable, according to a new perspective published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. However, widespread use of currently available public health interventions to prevent and control COVID-19 will enable resumption of most activities of daily life with minimal disruption, the authors note. Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of NIH, David M. Morens, M.D., senior scientific advisor to the NIAID director, and Gregory K. Folkers, chief of staff to the NIAID director, authored the perspective.

The general concept of herd immunity implies that transmission of an infectious agent can be blunted, except for sporadic outbreaks, because a certain proportion of the population is already protected through vaccination or prior infection. The authors explain how the scientific understanding of herd immunity and its applications to various diseases have evolved over time. High levels of herd immunity have enabled the United States to largely control polio and measles -- two diseases caused by viruses that have not undergone significant evolution. However, the authors note, the benefits of achieving herd immunity thresholds have been less successful with respiratory viruses such as influenza, which continually mutate.

Dr. Fauci and his colleagues write that achieving classical herd immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is unlikely, due to a combination of factors that include features of the virus as well as current societal dynamics. These include the virus' ability to continually mutate to new variants; asymptomatic virus transmission, which complicates public health control strategies; the inability of prior infection or vaccination to provide durable protection against reinfection; suboptimal vaccination coverage; and adherence to non-pharmacologic interventions.

However, the authors note, controlling COVID-19 without major disruptions to society is now achievable because of widespread background immunity via prior infection or vaccination, booster shots, antiviral drugs, monoclonal antibody therapies and widely available diagnostic tests. Research to develop pan-coronavirus vaccines, which could protect against multiple coronaviruses or at least multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants, remains crucial.

"Living with COVID is best considered not as reaching a numerical threshold of immunity, but as optimizing population protection without prohibitive restrictions on our daily lives," the authors conclude.

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Story Source:

Materials provided by NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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Journal Reference:

1. David M Morens, Gregory K Folkers, Anthony S Fauci. The Concept of Classical Herd Immunity May Not Apply to COVID-19. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2022; DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiac109

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220331151443.htm

Blood vessels are guides for stimulating implants

 An implant little bigger than a grain of rice, put gently in place alongside a strategically placed blood vessel, could replace much bulkier devices that stimulate nerves.

Rice University engineers in collaboration with a host of Texas Medical Center institutions have published the first proof-of-concept results from a yearslong program to develop tiny, wireless devices that can treat neurological diseases or block pain. The nerve stimulators require no batteries and instead draw both their power and programming from a low-powered magnetic transmitter outside the body.

The MagnetoElectric Bio ImplanT -- aka ME-BIT -- is placed surgically and an electrode is fed into a blood vessel toward the nerve targeted for stimulation. Once there, the device can be powered and securely controlled with a near-field transmitter worn close to the body.

The team led by Jacob Robinson and Kaiyuan Yang of the Rice Neuroengineering Initiative and the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Sunil Sheth of the University of Texas Health Science Center's McGovern Medical School successfully tested its technology on animal models and found it could charge and communicate with implants several centimeters below the skin.

The implant detailed in Nature Biomedical Engineering could replace more invasive units that now treat Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, chronic pain, hearing loss and paralysis.

"Because the devices are so small, we can use blood vessels as a highway system to reach targets that are difficult to get to with traditional surgery," Robinson said. "We're delivering them using the same catheters you would use for an endovascular procedure, but we would leave the device outside the vessel and place a guidewire into the bloodstream as the stimulating electrode, which could be held in place with a stent."

The ability to power the implants with magnetoelectric materials eliminates the need for electrical leads through the skin and other tissues. Leads like those often used for pacemakers can cause inflammation, and sometimes need to be replaced. Battery-powered implants can also require additional surgery to replace batteries.

ME-BIT's wearable charger requires no surgery. The researchers showed it could even be misaligned by several inches and still sufficiently power and communicate with the implant.

The programmable, 0.8-square-millimeter implant incorporates a strip of magnetoelectric film that converts magnetic energy to electrical power. An on-board capacitor can store some of that power, and a "system-on-a-chip" microprocessor translates modulations in the magnetic field into data. The components are held together by a 3D-printed capsule and further encased in epoxy.

The researchers said the magnetic field generated by the transmitter -- about 1 milliTesla -- is easily tolerated by tissues. They estimated the current implant can generate a maximum of 4 milliwatts of power, sufficient for many neural stimulation applications.

"One of the nice things is that all the nerves in our bodies require oxygen and nutrients, so that means there's a blood vessel within a few hundred microns of all the nerves," Robinson said. "It's just a matter of tracing the right blood vessels to reach the targets.

"With a combination of imaging and anatomy, we can be pretty confident about where we place the electrodes," he said.

The research suggests endovascular bioelectronics like ME-BIT could lead to a wide range of low-risk, highly precise therapies. Having electrodes in the bloodstream could also enable real-time sensing of biochemical, pH and blood-oxygen levels to provide diagnostics or support other medical devices.

Robinson said the team ultimately hopes to employ multiple implants and communicate with them simultaneously. "That way we could have a distributed network at multiple sites," he said. "Other things we're looking to add are sensing, recording and back-channel communications so we can use the implants to both record and stimulate activity as part of a closed system."

Graduate students Joshua Chen and Zhanghao Yu of Rice and Peter Kan, a professor and chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, are co-lead authors of the paper. Co-authors include graduate students Fatima Alrashdan and C.S. Edwin Lai, lab services specialist Ben Avants and postdoctoral researcher Amanda Singer, all of Rice; Jeffrey Hartgerink, a professor of chemistry and of bioengineering at Rice; UT Medical Branch research scientist Roberto Garcia and research associate Ariadna Robledo; Michelle Felicella, an associate professor of neuropathology, surgical pathology and autopsy at UT Medical Branch; and Scott Crosby of Neuromonitoring Associates.

Robinson is an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and of bioengineering. Yang is an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering. Sheth is an associate professor and director of the Vascular Neurology Program at McGovern Medical School.

The National Institutes of Health (U18EB029353, R01DE021798) and the National Science Foundation supported the research.

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Story Source:

Materials provided by Rice University. Original written by Mike Williams. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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Related Multimedia:

• MagnetoElectric Bio ImplanT

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Journal Reference:

1. Joshua C. Chen, Peter Kan, Zhanghao Yu, Fatima Alrashdan, Roberto Garcia, Amanda Singer, C. S. Edwin Lai, Ben Avants, Scott Crosby, Zhongxi Li, Boshuo Wang, Michelle M. Felicella, Ariadna Robledo, Angel V. Peterchev, Stefan M. Goetz, Jeffrey D. Hartgerink, Sunil A. Sheth, Kaiyuan Yang, Jacob T. Robinson. A wireless millimetric magnetoelectric implant for the endovascular stimulation of peripheral nerves. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2022; DOI: 10.1038/s41551-022-00873-7

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220331134226.htm

New targets for immunotherapy in colon cancer

 Colon cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. Particularly in advanced stages of disease, the treatment still largely relies on traditional chemotherapy. The new generation of cancer treatments, so-called immunotherapies, has only been effective in a small subgroup of colon cancers. TU Dresden scientists led by Prof. Sebastian Zeissig have now identified proteins that are promising targets for new immunotherapies against colon cancer. Their results also underline the central role of intestinal bacteria in the development of colon cancer. The study was published in the journal Immunity on March 31, 2022.

Our bodies can naturally clear cancerous cells. Every day our immune system may detect mutated cells in our bodies and destroy them. Once in a while though, cancerous cells can find a way to hide from the immune system. The cells develop molecular signals that block immune cells from recognizing them as a threat. This, among other strategies, allows cancer cells to multiply and grow into tumors. Understanding the molecular mechanism of this process allowed for the development of new cancer treatments, the so-called immunotherapies. These treatments can unleash the patient's immune system to target the tumor and limit its growth.

Unfortunately, current immunotherapies are not effective for all types of cancers. Most cases of colon cancer, one of the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer, do not respond to these treatments. Now, a team of researchers from TU Dresden described a new pathway that lets colon cancer hide from the immune system. Their results provide a potential first step towards the development of a new generation of immunotherapies.

How Colon Cancer Hides from the Immune System

Inhibition of immune cells is carried out by special signals present on the surface of cancer cells. "These signals are known as checkpoint proteins," says Prof. Sebastian Zeissig from the University Hospital Dresden and the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD) at TU Dresden who led the research team. Current immunotherapies use drugs called checkpoint inhibitors to target a small set of known checkpoint proteins. Unfortunately, this approach had only a very limited impact on colon cancer growth. "This raised the question of whether there are other checkpoint proteins that may represent more promising targets for immunotherapy in colon cancer," says Dr. Kenneth Peuker, author of the study.

Researchers analyzed colon cancer samples and looked for signal proteins present in tumor cells but not in the healthy tissue. Two proteins caught their attention. CB7H3 and B7H4 were present in large number in colon cancer cells while almost undetectable in the healthy tissue.

"We decided to block B7H3 and B7H4 in colon cancer cells," says Dr. Peuker. "The result was startling. Tumor tissue in which these signals were disabled showed significantly slowed growth or even shrinking. We have observed that now the immune cells could invade the cancer tissue and started to control tumor cells." Additional tests confirmed that the B7H3 and B7H4 proteins are indeed working as checkpoint proteins. "Blocking these signals suddenly allowed immune system to attack tumor cells," adds Prof. Zeissig.

Scientists found B7H3 and B7H4 to be present not only in the primary colon cancer tumors but also in their metastases in the liver. Turning these proteins off slowed the growth of the primary tumors but also their liver metastases. The team observed that some of the treated mice survived long-term despite having metastatic tumors.

Runaway Bacteria Block Immune Responses

The team characterized a broad cascade of events that allows colon cancer to develop its ability to block immune cells. They were able to show that breaking the intestinal barrier is a crucial step in the process. When the intestinal barrier breaks at sites of tumor development, bacteria that are normally present in the intestine can suddenly enter the surrounding tissue. This is considered an important early event in the development of colon cancer. Now, Prof. Zeissig's team could show that these bacterial runaways serve as an initial trigger for the colon cancer cells to hide from the immune system.

"We found that cells present in the tissue can detect the invading bacteria. This, in turn, activates a full cascade of steps. The resulting molecular communication between the cells eventually leads the cancer cells to project B7H3 and B7H4 on their surface and hide from the immune system," says Dr. Peuker.

The team could show that using broad-spectrum antibiotics to destroy the invading intestinal bacteria also reduced the tumor size and decreased the extent of liver metastases. "Our results provide a new link between microbiota and tumor growth in colon cancer. We would like to focus more on this angle in the future," says Prof. Zeissig.

A Step Closer to New Colon Cancer Immunotherapies

The results of the new study come predominantly from research in mice but offer a promising outlook for future cancer therapies for humans. "Our analyses of human samples showed that B7H3 and B7H4 are also present in human colon cancer cells and that their presence correlates with poorer outcomes of colon cancer patients. These proteins are also barely detectable in healthy tissues in humans which suggests that their targeting may be safe," says Prof. Zeissig.

"We hope that our work will serve as a foundation for new studies that address the efficacy of targeting of B7H3 and B7H4 in human colon cancer in the future," adds Prof. Zeissig.

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Story Source:

Materials provided by Technische Universität Dresden. Original written by Magdalena Gonciarz. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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Journal Reference:

1. Kenneth Peuker, Anne Strigli, Daniele V.F. Tauriello, Alexander Hendricks, Witigo von Schönfels, Greta Burmeister, Mario Brosch, Alexander Herrmann, Sandra Krüger, Jessica Nitsche, Lea Južnić, Marc Marius Geissler, Andreas Hiergeist, André Gessner, Jakob Wirbel, Ruby Priyadarshini Ponnudurai, Antje Tunger, Rebekka Wehner, Daniel E. Stange, Jürgen Weitz, Daniela E. Aust, Gustavo B. Baretton, Marc Schmitz, Christoph Röcken, Jochen Hampe, Sebastian Hinz, Georg Zeller, Triantafyllos Chavakis, Clemens Schafmayer, Eduard Batlle, Sebastian Zeissig. Microbiota-dependent activation of the myeloid calcineurin-NFAT pathway inhibits B7H3- and B7H4-dependent anti-tumor immunity in colorectal cancer. Immunity, 2022; DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2022.03.008

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220331121238.htm

ARCA biopharma Topline Results Miss in ASPEN-COVID-19 Phase 2b

 

• For the entire cohort of COVID-19 hospitalized patients, the pooled lower and higher rNAPc2 dose groups demonstrated a reduction compared to baseline in D-dimer levels of 16.8% versus 11.2% for standard of care heparin which was not statistically significant and consequently did not achieve the study primary endpoint

• The treatment effects of rNAPc2 and heparin were different in Mild versus Severe categories of an adapted WHO COVID-19 Severity Scale, with generally decreasing D-dimer levels from baseline in Mild patients, but in Severe patients D-dimer levels were increasing in the Heparin group with no change in the rNAPc2 groups

• rNAPc2 was well-tolerated at both doses

• Company is now evaluating options for development of its assets, including partnering and other strategic options

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/arca-biopharma-reports-topline-results-201500436.html

Equity advocates have captured the field of public health

 Utah and Minnesota have abandoned their controversial guidelines that made race a factor in deciding who receives Covid treatment, but it’s worth asking how such policies could have been passed in the first place. Part of the answer lies in the standards that inform public-health education and practice. Today, for anyone working in public health, embracing “health equity” has become a professional requirement.

In 2016, the Council on Education for Public Health—the agency that accredits schools of public health—updated its requirements to emphasize the importance of “health equity.” According to these standards, anyone who receives a masters of public health must be able to “discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels.” Likewise, schools of public health must make “systematic, coherent and long-term efforts to incorporate elements of diversity.”

How do these requirements manifest? The University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Public Health recently released an updated Inclusive Excellence Action Plan—a laundry list of diversity, equity, and inclusion measures. The plan cites the Council on Education for Public Health requirements, and mandates that “racism, social justice and health equity are integrated throughout and across curricula,” and that diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts be a condition for faculty promotion and tenure.

Across the country, public-health schools have adopted virtually indistinguishable plans. Last year, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health—which ranks first in the country—released its Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-Racism, and Equity (IDARE) Action Plan. Measures include required land acknowledgments at school events (statements noting that the events are located on former Native American land), a new core competency “addressing the importance of IDARE in public health” required for all curricula, and new course evaluation questions on “diversity, inclusivity, anti-racism, and equity in the classroom climate and curriculum.”

The Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, another top-ranked program, implemented many of the same policies in a plan called Foundation for Sustainable Progress and Transformation, including a social justice curricular review and employee performance reviews that assess DEI contributions. It also requires each department within the school to develop a diversity action plan, ensuring multiple layers of DEI programming.

The University of Minnesota School of Public Health adopted an especially ambitious Strategic Plan for Antiracism. Again, the plan mandates a new curriculum that prioritizes “antiracism and health equity,” along with faculty performance reviews that evaluate DEI contributions. Faculty who disagree with the progressive conception of social justice will face pressure to keep quiet. The plan also takes aim at admissions standards, calling on the school to remove its GRE requirement in favor of a holistic review, in which candidates receive consideration “regardless of whether or not they can demonstrate the prerequisites.”

In each plan, the message is clear: public-health professionals must commit themselves to advancing “health equity.” And as it turns out, this imperative aligns with new professional standards.

In October 2021, the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice revised its Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals, “a consensus set of knowledge and skills for the broad practice of public health.” The Council on Linkages is a collaboration between 24 public health organizations, including the American Public Health Association, the Council on Education for Public Health, and the Public Health Accreditation Board, which accredits state and local public-health agencies. Approximately 80 percent of state health departments and 90 percent of academic public-health programs use its competencies.

The update created a new category of “health equity skills.” Now, a competent public-health professional “applies principles of ethics, diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice,” “collaborates with the community to reduce systemic and structural barriers that perpetuate health inequities,” and “engages in advocacy for health equity and social and environmental justice,” to name just a few. Given the political connotations of terms like “inclusion,” “social justice,” and “health equity,” it’s no wonder that public-health officials embrace race-conscious policies by default.

The purveyors of “diversity” and “equity” share much in common with our public-health establishment—most of all, the notion that a better society can be forged through managerial dictates. The two have now joined forces. Even with increased public skepticism, expect more unpopular policies in the name of “health equity.”

John Sailer is a research associate at the National Association of Scholars.

https://www.city-journal.org/why-public-health-went-woke