Why does everyone suddenly think public health should be the only priority?

[Anonymous 1]

Public health has never been anyone’s primary focus, and it isn’t now. If public health was the priority, McDonald’s wouldn’t have been considered an essential business. Why is everyone so worried about Covid when it’s been completely socially acceptable to eat, drink, and smoke yourself to death for years? Is it just that death might be quicker?

[Anonymous 2]

While you have a point - places like McD's is an essential business for truckers who keep things moving. Like PPE, food, medications...

[Anonymous 3]

Yes. Quicker death is worse, harder on the society. Like many problems, people ignore health until it can't be ignored and then they try everything, often too late.

We're working on it.

[MonarchMom]

The US has multiple National agencies focused on public health, including the FDA, the CDC, the NIH and the Division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Plus there are state and county Health Departments in all 50 states.

There have also been multiple public education campaigns about stopping smoking, healthy eating and controlling weight. Not everyone agrees with the messages or is willing to change their behavior.

[Pjmm]

If you're eating McDonald's you're only killing yourself. Even smoking unless you're stupid enough to smoke indoors around your family you're mostly killing yourself. Second hand smoke does kill too hence the Clean Air acts. Read about what cities did during the Spanish flu pandemic or the case of Typhoid Mary or the panic over AIDS. We've always cared about any contagious disease. Obesity isn't contagious.

[Anonymous 4]

Public health hasn’t been affected by a pandemic in 100 years. However it hasn’t exactly been ignored either. Smoking is a personal choice but the surgeon general still has managed to get warnings placed on the packages, and was successfully able to have advertisements removed. Most dates if not all have laws against smoking in public venues.

Seatbelts, and car seats are mandated in all 50
States.

Alcohol sales are limited to those 21 years and older.

Vaccines are strongly encouraged from the time Mom discovers she is pregnant.

This virus however is a faction we have not faced. So yes, it shifts our focus and once it’s gone the focus will shift again.

Public health has never been anyone’s primary focus, and it isn’t now. If public health was the priority, McDonald’s wouldn’t have been considered an essential business. Why is everyone so worried about Covid when it’s been completely socially acceptable to eat, drink, and smoke yourself to death for years? Is it just that death might be quicker?

[Anonymous 5]

Public health has always been seen as more important than individual health or individual rights. Thats exactly what Smoking laws and vaccine laws are all about. My children are denied a public education because vaccines aren't safe for them (according to their pro vaccine doctor) but they don't meet the guidelines for a medical exemption. And no I won't argue about that or discuss the specifics of why its nobody's business.

[Anonymous 6]

Looking back at the history of public health, I'm not sure what you're arguing.

[Anonymous 7]

While I find McDonald's being considered an essential business laughable, (it isn't "essential" where I live), it's not really relevant.

People choose whether or not they want to eat fast food, smoke, drink, etc. Catching a virus isn't a choice. Well, except for those handfuls of idiots attending "corona parties".

[Momto2boys973]

You’re comparing apples to oranges. If you eat McDonald’s to an early death that’s on YOU. No one else. You always have the choice to eat healthy. It’s not a public health issue in the sense that no one is forcing you to shove your face with Big Macs.
The spread of Covid however, depends on all of us taking precautions and making sacrifices to minimize contact. So it is a public health risk because my actions affect others, unlike eating junk food every other day which only affects me.