I’m incredibly saddened to hear 68 journalists at @TheAtlantic lost their jobs today. Their work has been priceless, outstanding, especially on #COVID19. HT to tireless work of @alexismadrigal @edyong209 @yayitsrob et al. Please support w/ a subscription: https://accounts.theatlantic.com/products/ https://twitter.com/edyong209/status/1263488442291433473
2) Folks who have been following me from January closely would know that for me to proudly say that @TheAtlantic has been the single MOST OUTSTANDING INVALUABLE news source on the coronavirus, means something. They are insightful, tough, but fair... moreover, they are honest...
3) Here’s why I love @TheAtlantic - @alexismadrigal had once written a tough examination piece on me in January about my original “holy mother of god” tweet about the risk of a likely pandemic. It wasn’t too flattering on me I’ll readily admit, but remember it was only January...
4) However, unlike other outlets or other reporters, @alexismadrigal showed a reflective empathy and a sharp inquisitiveness that he is a deeply probing investigative journalist. And I watched how his writings evolved and how after @trvrb’s big genomic
epidemiology research...

5) that revealed the new WA+CA epidemics were traceable to mid January came out, @alexismadrigal thoughtfully admitted that he then realized the gravity of the pandemic. But more than that, Alexis was humble enough to admit that his Jan piece was imperfect https://twitter.com/alexismadrigal/status/1243186506040135680?s=21 https://twitter.com/alexismadrigal/status/1243186506040135680
6) Alexis’s brave & selfless admission had come right after this @NYMag @intelligencer piece on me by @dwallacewells. I never in a million years expected a reporter to voluntarily admit & apologize how @alexismadrigal did, which revealed his top character. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/amp/2020/03/why-was-it-so-hard-to-raise-the-alarm-on-coronavirus.html
7) Since then, @alexismadrigal has selflessly thrown himself deep into the invaluable work of @COVID19Tracking, which has single-handedly not only replaced @CDCgov amid it abdication of to report national COVID testing volume, but also held it accountable! https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/05/cdc-and-states-are-misreporting-covid-19-test-data-pennsylvania-georgia-texas/611935/
8) In my view as an epidemiologist & 15 years teaching meta-analysis @Harvard, what @TheAtlantic has pulled off w/ @alexismadrigal & @COVID19Tracking under @JeffreyGoldberg will for certain go down in annals of history as among the most important accomplishments in public health!
9) BOTTOMLINE: One day, we will owe @TheAtlantic & @alexismadrigal a debt of gratitude that it’s for certain eventual @PulitzerPrizes & all the $ in the
cannot repay. But today, we need to keep @TheAtlantic going so it can continue, so please subscribe: https://accounts.theatlantic.com/products/
