I can't stop thinking about this: public health research shows you can't stop ppl from engaging in harmful behaviors, but you can help reduce the risks. like, you can't stop teenagers from having sex, but you can give them condoms so it's safer. where is that approach with covid?

harm-reduction has been adopted for so many public health issues. it almost always starts out controversial, but then people realize it works. needle exchanges for drug users. PrEP for gay men. sex ed. just telling people not to do something doesn't ever really work.

I've spoken to many health experts who say the current all-or-nothing approach to social distancing does not square with what we know from the research. they all said that as people's patience begins to wear thin, we need nuanced, detailed guidance on how to reduce risks

no one is advocating for people to break social distancing protocols. but there should be some acknowledgement from officials that ppl are going to see their friends/family anyway -- it is *the* most human need -- and need guidance for how to do so. shaming people isn't helpful

anyway after thinking about this a lot I was very happy to see this piece in the Atlantic by @JuliaLMarcus on this very issue https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/no-one-telling-americans-how-reopen-their-lives/612172/

the piece also makes the point that reporters are providing this guidance since no one else will. here's a collection of some of those pieces:
-- https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-05-16/so-you-really-want-to-see-your-friends-heres-how-to-assess-the-risk
-- https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/05/23/861325631/from-camping-to-dining-out-heres-how-experts-rate-the-risks-of-14-summer-activit
-- https://www.vox.com/21262268/coronavirus-tips-covid-social-distancing-harm-reduction