I don’t either support or reject [it] at this time. I emphasize that we need more data, which doesn’t happen in a month or two.
TR: Any pearls or other points of interest you found during the pandemic?
Dr. Schiopu: We are in unprecedented times. We need access to data, not fears or opinion. I don’t want another person’s opinion to influence me. I need the data to form my own opinion. Everyone expects physicians to be able to advise and care for our patients, but we need quality data.
Rheumatologists have a crucial role caring for older, immunosuppressed, vulnerable populations. The biggest challenge is looking at things in a very balanced way. I disagree that the only solution is home isolation awaiting a vaccine. This [approach] causes a great deal of immobility, depression, flares and chronic pain.
The New York Times published a piece in 2016 stating social isolation is the leading silent killer in the U.S. It’s currently broadly used, without any evidence of prior success, as the only pandemic tool. Has it worked? Seven or eight months in, we should have a lot more data about the fallout of all of [the social isolation and the pandemic]. Any decision we make going forward has to be based on the cost and effectiveness data balance. Did we achieve enough to justify the cost?
Kurt Ullman is a freelance writer based in Indiana.
