The Premonition: A Pandemic Story

In the summer of 2005, President Bush read a book, "The Great Influenza: The

Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History," John Barry's account of the 1918

Spanish flu, and ordered a national plan to fight a pandemic. Two doctors,

Richard and Carter, from the team studied the flu with models and introduced the

idea of using social distancing (which unbeknownst to them was an anthropology

term) to contain a virus. They made the plan and published their findings but

that was only the start of the story. The doctors later on led a group called

the Wolverines, doctors and influencers, moonlighting on pandemic response,

until 2020 when they became the rogue group of patriots who worked behind the

scene to save the country.                                                     

 

Meanwhile, Dr. Charity Dean grew up poor in Oregon, cut her ties with her strict

religious community, found her calling, gave up private practice, divorced,

devoted her life to her three kids and public health, and rose from the Santa

Barbara County deputy health officer to the No.2 health leader in Sacramento.

 

At the beginning of COVID-19, while the eastern Asian nations were fighting the

virus with draconian isolation rules, the White House, the CDC, and state

governments were busy playing down the virus and missed the window for

containment. California started to lead the nation in social distancing only   

after Dr. Dean met the Wolverines.                                             

 

Other fascinating episodes included the Joe DeRisi lab in SFSU, the bioHub, and

the history of the CDC (especially about its downfall).                        

 

Through the tales, the book entertains. It is every bit as engaging as a

mystery. But more importantly, it teaches priceless lessons about the reality,

the absurdities of capitalism, life, and personal growth. One example, how to

think in a dilemma.

    Carter already had a view about these kinds of decisions. He thought that

    they should be approached the way an ICU doctor treat a patient clinging to

    life. Play forward whatever you are thinking about doing, or not doing, and

    ask yourself: Which decision, if you are wrong, will cause you the greatest

    regret?

    

So far, I've read three books from Michael Lewis and was most impressed with

"The Big Short." Through his lucid style, he has shown that truth can be

stranger than fiction.