Why Public Health Matters

We are in a Public Health crisis not one of personal health.
What’s the difference?
Let me try to explain.

- My Personal Health: I don’t smoke
- Your Personal Health: You smoke
- Possible Outcome: secondhand smoke can negatively impact others causing cancer or other illness
- Public Health: No smoking in public places to reduce the Possible Outcome and save lives.

- My Personal Health: I donate blood regularly but have had West Nile Virus
- Your Personal Health: You need a blood transfusion
- Possible Outcome: Being transfused with infected blood severely compromises your health (think Ryan White or Arthur Ashe)
- Public Health: Test all the blood banks even disposing of donated blood to reduce Possible Outcome and save lives.

- My Personal Health: My child loves peanut butter
- Your Personal Health: Your child is allergic to peanuts
- Possible Outcome: Your child could go into anaphylactic shock from contact with my child’s peanut butter
- Public Health: Schools remove all peanuts from lunches to reduce the Possible Outcome and save lives.

- My Personal Health: I’m immunocompromised during a pandemic and chose vaccination
- Your Personal Health: You’re strong as an ox during a pandemic and chose vaccination
- Our Neighbor’s Personal Health: Strong as an ox during a pandemic and has not chosen vaccination
- Possible Outcome: High risk of COVID-19 spread among the three of us.
- Public Health: Everyone wear masks in public places to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

I am responsible for my personal health.
You are responsible for your personal health.
In a civilized society, we are both responsible for the Public Health.
Yes, your choice matters.
​My choice matters.
But, y’all, our community HAS to matter more.