Scientists should admit their covid errors for their own cred

American trust in them has dropped but they could earn it back

- FAYE D. FLAM

During the covid years, Americans' trust in scientists fell, according to a Pew poll. In 2019, only 13% of Americans were distrustful enough to say they weren't confident in scientists to act in the public's best interest. Now that figure is 27% despite recent triumphs in astronomy, cancer research, genetics and more.

It's reasonable to assume the problem stems from covid-era public health missteps. Some public health agencies took years to admit what had become obvious: that the virus was airborne. Others suggested precautions like closing playgrounds and beaches whose benefit would have been minimal. Some promoted policies like sustained social isolation that were hard to implement and endure.

Public health researchers and officials seem to think that rebuilding trust is just a matter of clearer, more persuasive communication. That would help, but it's not enough they should admit their mistakes.

There has been reluctance. Last week, I attended an international meeting at Boston University on pandemic preparedness, and a panel on communication never got into covid mistakes. When I asked experts afterwards about policies and declarations that look wrong in retrospect, I got a chorus of "We didn't know"-an unsatisfying answer. Even at the time, scientists should have been clearer when they were basing policies on educated guesses.