Why were we so late responding to COVID-19? Blame it on our culture and brains

Even though contagious outbreaks have occurred in the past, and despite exhortations from public health experts that they would happen again, we lacked the systems and mindsets to proactively respond to COVID-19.

But if we don’t demand prevention, we are unlikely to get public health systems that deliver it.

People are not willfully illogical in not getting behind these solutions. It’s just that our brains and culture get in the way.