UPDATEDSEP 9 AT 22:00

September 9, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

As infectiousdiseasesphysiciansand researchers,microbiologistand immunologists,

epidemiologistsandhealthpolicyleaders,we standunitedineffortsto developandpromotescience-basedsolutionsthat advancehumanhealthand preventsufferingfrom the coronavirus

pandemic. Inthispursuit,we share a commitmentto a basicprinciplederivedfromthe

HippocraticOath: PrimumNonNocere(First,DoNo Harm).

To prevent harm to the public’s health, we also have both a moral and an ethical responsibility tocall attention to the falsehoods and misrepresentations of science recently fostered by Dr. Scott

Atlas, a former Stanford Medical School colleague and current senior fellow at the Hoover

Institute at Stanford University. Many of his opinions and statements run counter to established

science and, by doing so, undermine public-health authorities and the credible science that

guides effective public health policy. The preponderance of data, accrued from around the

world, currently supports each of the following statements:

� The use of face masks,socialdistancing,handwashingand hygienehave been shownto

substantiallyreducethe spreadof Covid-19.Crowdedindoorspaces are settingsthat

significantlyincrease the risk of communityspreadof SARS-CoV-2.

� Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 frequently occurs from asymptomatic people, including

children and young adults, to family members and others. Therefore, testing

asymptomatic individuals, especially those with probable Covid-19 exposure is important

to break the chain of ongoing transmission.

� Childrenof all ages can be infectedwith SARS-CoV-2.While infectionislesscommon

inchildrenthan in adults,seriousshort-termand long-termconsequencesof Covid-19are

increasinglydescribedin childrenand youngpeople.

� The pandemic will be controlledwhen a large proportionof a populationhas developedimmunity(referredto as herd immunity)and that the safest path to herd immunityis

throughdeploymentof rigorouslyevaluated,effective vaccines that have been approved

by regulatoryagencies.

� In contrast, encouraging herd immunity through unchecked community transmission is

not a safe public health strategy. In fact, this approach would do the opposite, causing a

significant increase in preventable cases, suffering and deaths, especially among

vulnerable populations, such as older individuals and essential workers.

Commitment to science-based decision-making is a fundamental obligation of public

health policy. The rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the US, with consequent morbidity

and mortality, are among the highest in the world. The policy response to this pandemic

must reinforce the science, including that evidence-based prevention and the safedevelopment, testing and delivery of efficacious therapies and preventive measures,

including vaccines, represent the safest path forward. Failure to follow the science -- or

deliberately misrepresenting the science – will lead to immense avoidable harm.

We believe that social and economic activity can reopensafely,if we followpoliciesthat

are consistentwith science. Infact, the countriesthat have reopenedbusinessesandschoolssafely are those that have implementedthe science-basedstrategiesoutlined

above.

As Stanfordfaculty with expertisein infectiousdiseases,epidemiologyand healthpolicy,our signaturessupport thisstatementwith the hope that our voicesaffirmscientific,

medicaland public healthapproachesthat promotethe safety of our communitiesand

nation.

PhilipA. Pizzo,MD

Professor of Pediatrics(Infectious Diseases) and ofMicrobiology andImmunology and FormerDean, Stanford School ofMedicine and FoundingDirector, StanfordDistinguished CareersInstitute

Lucy Shapiro,PhD

Professor of DevelopmentalBiology and Director,Beckman Center forMolecular and GeneticMedicine

Upi Singh, MD

Professor of Medicine(Infectious Disease andGeographic Medicine) and ofMicrobiology andImmunology and Chief,Division of InfectiousDiseases

Melissa Bondy,PhD

Professor and Chair ofEpidemiology and PopulationHealth and Co-Director of theStanford Center forPopulationHealth Sciences

Bonnie Maldonado,MD

Professor of Pediatrics(Infectious Diseases) and ofEpidemiology andPopulation Health Chief,Division of PediatricInfectious Diseases andSenior Associate Dean forFaculty Development andDiversity

Michele Barry,MD

Professor of Medicine andSenior Associate Dean forGlobal Health and Director,Center for Innovation inGlobal Health and SeniorFellow, Woods Institute andthe Freeman Spogli Institutefor International Studies

Charles Prober,MD

Professor of Pediatricsand ofMicrobiology andImmunology and SeniorAssociate Vice Provost forHealth Education

DavidRelman,MD

Professor of Medicine(Infectious Diseases) and ofMicrobiology andImmunology and SeniorFellow, Freeman SpogliInstitute for InternationalStudies

Harry Greenberg,MD

Professor of Medicine and ofMicrobiologyandImmunologyand AssociateDean for Research

JohnBoothroyd,PhD

Professorof Microbiologyand Immunology

Jason Andrews, MD,SM,DTM&H

Associate Professor ofMedicine (InfectiousDiseases) and ofEpidemiology and HealthPolicy

Julie Parsonnet,MD

Professor of Medicine(Infectious Diseases andGeographic Medicine) and ofEpidemiology and PopulationHealth

Lee M.Sanders,MD,MPH

Associate Professor ofPediatrics and of HealthResearch and Policy(Epidemiology)and Chief,

Divisionof General Pediatrics

Ann Arvin, MD

Professor of Pediatrics(Infectious Diseases) and ofMicrobiology andImmunologyand Former ViceProvost and Dean of Research

John Carette,PhD

AssociateProfessorofMicrobiologyand

Immunology

DavidStuddert,LLB,MPH,ScD

Professor of LawandMedicine,Stanford HealthPolicy,Stanford Law School

Steve Goodman, MD,MHS, PhD

Professor of Epidemiologyand Population Health andAssociate Dean of Clinicaland Translational Research

Steve Luby,MD

Professor of Medicine(Infectious Diseases)and of Epidemiologyand Population Healthand Senior Fellow,Freeman SpogliInstitute

EdwardS Mocarski,Jr, PhD

Professor ofMicrobiology andImmunology,Emeritus

DylanDodd,MD,PhD

Assistant Professor ofPathology and ofMicrobiology andImmunology

Michelle Mello,JD,PhD

Professor of Medicine(Health Policy)andProfessor of Law

Joshua Salomon, PhD

Professor of Medicine(Primary Care and OutcomesResearch) and Senior Fellow,Freeman Spogli Institute forInternational Studies

Abraham Verghese MD,MACP,FRCP(Edin)

Professor,Vice Chair for theTheory and Practice ofMedicine

Stephen J Galli,MD

Professor of Pathology andof Microbiology andImmunologyand FormerChair, Department ofPathology

Ann Hsing,PhD,MPH

Professor of Medicine(Stanford PreventionResearch Center/CancerInstitute)and Epidemiologyand PopulationHealth

Manuel Ricardo Amieva,MD,PhD

Professor of Pediatrics(Infectious Diseases) and ofMicrobiology andImmunology

Aruna Subramanian,MD

Clinical Professor ofMedicine,Chief,ImmunocompromisedHostInfectious Diseases Divisionof Infectious Diseases andGeographic Medicine

Helen M Blau,PhD

Professor of MicrobiologyandImmunologyand Director,Baxter Laboratory for StemCell Biology

Steve Asch, MD,MPH

Professor of Medicine,Primary Care and PopulationHealth

Lorene Nelson, PhD,MA

Associate Professor ofEpidemiology and PublicHealth and FacultyDirector of the StanfordCenter for PopulationHealth Sciences

DeanL.Winslow,MD,FACP,FIDSA,FPIDS

Professorof Medicine–

InfectiousDiseases

Jason Wang, MD,PhD

Associate Professor ofPediatrics and Medicine andof Health Research and Policyand Director,Center forPolicy,Outcomes andPrevention

Esther John, PhD,MSPH

Professor,Department ofEpidemiology and PopulationHealth and Co-leader,PopulationSciences Program,Stanford Cancer Institute

Thomas C Merigan,MD

Professor of Medicine,Emeritus Former DivisionChief Director,Center forAids Research,Emeritus

Jack Remington,MD

Professor of Medicine(Infectious Diseases)andChief, Palo Alto MedicalResearchFoundation

Stan Deresinski,MD,FIDSA

Clinical Professor ofMedicine InfectiousDiseasesand Geographic Medicine

HoldenTerry Maecker,PhD

Professor of Microbiologyand Immunology

Cybele A. Renault,MD,DTM&H

Clinical Associate Professor(Infectious Diseases)Program Lead for GlobalHealth (Stanford InternalMedicine ResidencyProgram)

DavidA. Stevens, M.D.,F.A.C.P.,F.A.A.M.,F.I.D.S.A.

Professor of Medicine -Infectious Diseases, Emeritusand President, CaliforniaInstitute for MedicalResearch, Infectious DiseasesResearch Laboratory, Calif.Inst. for Med. Res.

CorneliaL.Dekker,MD

Professorof Pediatrics(InfectiousDiseases),Emerita

Shirit Einav,MD

Associate Professor MedicineInfectiousDiseases andGeographic Medicine and ofMicrobiology andImmunology

WahChiu,PhD

Professor of Bioengineeringand of MicrobiologyandImmunology

Jake Scott,MD

Clinical Assistant Professor ofMedicine InfectiousDiseasesand Geographic Medicine

Gary K.Schoolnik,MD

Professorof Medicine-InfectiousDiseases,Emeritus

Denise Monack,PhD

Professorof Microbiologyand Immunology

Robert Shafer,MD

Professor of MedicineDivisionof InfectiousDiseases and GeographicMedicine

Doug K Owens,MD,MS

Professor of Medicine andSenior Fellow,FreemanSpogli Institute forInternationalStudies

Justin Sonnenburg,PhD

Associate Professor ofMicrobiology andImmunologyand Co-Director,Center for HumanMicrobiomeStudies

Hector Bonilla,MD

Clinical Associate Professorof Medicine InfectiousDiseases and GeographicMedicine

SharonChen,MD,MS

Clinical AssociateProfessorof Pediatrics(Infectious

Diseases)

Jenny R.Aronson,MD

Clinical AssistantProfessor DivisionofInfectiousDiseases andGeographic Medicine

Talal Seddick,MD

Clinical Assistant ofProfessor of Pediatrics(InfectiousDiseases)

Tim Stearns,PhD

Professor of Biology and ofGenetics and SeniorAssociate Vice Provost forResearch

Maya Adam, MD

Clinical Assistant Professorof Pediatricsand Director ofHealthMedia Innovation

Dora Ho,MD,PhD

Clinical Associate Professorof Medicine InfectiousDiseases and GeographicMedicine

Roshni Matthew,MD

Clinical Assistant Professor ofPediatrics (InfectiousDiseases) and AssociateMedicalDirector, InfectionPrevention& Control

Catherine Blish,MD,PhD

Associate Professor ofMedicine InfectiousDiseasesand Geographic Medicine andImmunology

Clea Sarnquist,MD

Clinical Professor ofPediatrics (InfectiousDiseases)

KerwynCasey Huang,PhD

Professor of Bioengineeringand of MicrobiologyandImmunology

Samantha Johnson, MD,MPH

Clinical Associate Professorof Pediatrics (InfectiousDiseases)

Marisa Holubar,MD MS

Clinical Associate Professorof Medicine InfectiousDiseases and GeographicMedicine and AssociateDirector, StanfordAntimicrobial Safety andSustainability Program

ElizabethS. Egan,MD,PhD

Assistant Professor ofPediatrics (InfectiousDiseases)

PaulL.Bollyky,MD,D.Phil

Associate Professor Divisionof InfectiousDiseasesDepartment of Medicine

Sruti Nadimpalli,MD

Clinical ProfessorofPediatrics(Infectious

Disease)

MichaelFischbach,PhD

Associate Professor ofBioengineeringand ofMicrobiologyandImmunology

PhilipM.Grant,MD

Assistant Professor ofMedicine InfectiousDiseasesand Geographic Medicine

Joanna Nelson,MD

Clinical Assistant ProfessorDepartmentof Medicine –InfectiousDiseases

Peter Sarnow,PhD

Professorof Microbiologyand Immunology

Glenn M.Chertow, MD,

MPH

Professorof Medicine,and

by courtesyDepartmentof

EpidemiologyandPopulationHealth

Bonnie Halpern-Felsher,

PhD,FSAHM

Professor of Pediatrics, and

by courtesy Departmentof Epidemiology and

Population Health, Director

of Fellows’ Scholarship,

Department of Pediatrics,Director of Research,

Division of Adolescent

Medicine

A.C. Matin,PhD

Professorof MicrobiologyandImmunology

Hayley Gans

Clinical Professor,Pediatrics-InfectiousDiseases

Paul Graham Fisher,MD

Professor, Neurology and

Pediatrics, and by courtesy,

Neurosurgery, Epidemiology

and Population Health, andHuman Biology, Chief,

Division of Child Neurology,

Vice Chair, Faculty Affairs,

Department of Neurology

Victor Henderson,MD

Professor,Departmentof

Epidemiologyand Population

Health

Taia T. Wang, MD,PhD,MSCI

Assistant Professor ofMedicine and ofMicrobiology andImmunology

MichaelBaiocchi,

PhD

Assistant Professor,Departmentof Epidemiologyand PopulationHealth

Lisa Goldman-Rosas,PhD,

MPH

Assistant Professor,

Department of Epidemiology

and Population Health,Director, Office of

Community Engagement

Tina Hernandez-Boussard,

PhD, MPH,MS

Associate Professor of

Medicine, Biomedical Data

Science, and Surgery, andby courtesy Department

of Epidemiology and Population

Health

Abby King,PhD

Professor, Epidemiology

and Population Health, and

Medicine (StanfordPrevention Research Center)

Director, Healthy Aging

Research & Technology

Solutions (HARTS)

Laboratory

Faculty Director, Our VoiceGlobal Citizen Science

Initiative

Past President, Society of

Behavioral Medicine

MitchellR.Lunn,MD,

MAS,FACP,FASN

Assistant Professor of

Medicine, and by courtesy,

Department of Epidemiology

and Population Health

Mindie H. Nguyen, MD,

MAS, AGAF, FAASLD

Professor,Departmentof

Medicine,and by courtesyDepartmentof Epidemiology

and PopulationHealth

Allison W. Kurian, M.D.,

M.Sc.

Associate Professor of

Medicine (Oncology) and ofEpidemiology and Population

Health

Associate Chief for Academic

Affairs, Division of Oncology

Director, Women’s Clinical

Cancer Genetics Program, Co-leader, Population Sciences

Program, Stanford Cancer

Institute

Kari Nadeau,MD,PhD

Professor of Pediatric FoodAllergy, Immunology and

Asthma, Professor of

Pediatrics and Professor by

Courtesy of Otolaryngology

Head & Neck Surgery at

LPCH and Department ofEpidemiology and Population

Health

Michelle C. Odden, PhD

AssociateProfessor,

Departmentof Epidemiology

and PopulationHealth

Lianne Kurina,PhD

AssociateProfessor,Primary

Care and PopulationHealth,

BingDirectorof the Programin HumanBiology

Lorene Nelson,PhD,MS

Associate Professor,Department of Epidemiology

and Population Health Faculty

Director of Research,

Stanford Center for

Population Health Sciences

Juno Obedin-Maliver, MD,

MPH, MAS

Assistant Professor,

Departmentof ObstetricsandGynecologyand,by courtesy,

Departmentof Epidemiology

and PopulationHealth

Latha Palaniappan, MD,

MS, FAHA, FACC, FACP

Professor of Medicine,

Department of Medicine(Primary Care and

Population Health) and, by

courtesy, Department of

Epidemiology and

Population Health

DavidH Rehkopf,ScD,

MPH

Associate Professor,Departments of

Epidemiology and

Population Health,

Department of Medicine,(Primary Care and

Population Health), Co-

director, Stanford Center for

Population Health Sciences

Gary M.Shaw, DrPH

Professor of Pediatrics,

Associate Chair Dept of

Pediatrics, Department ofPediatrics and, by courtesy,

Department of Epidemiology

and Population Health

Lesley S. Park,PhD,MPH

Instructor,Departmentof

Epidemiologyand Population

Health,AssociateDirector,StanfordCenter for

PopulationHealthSciences

Thomas N.Robinson,MD,

MPH

Professorof Pediatricsand ofMedicineand,by courtesy,

Departmentof Epidemiology

and PopulationHealth

Julia F Simard,ScD

AssociateProfessor,

Departmentof Epidemiology

& PopulationHealth

Rita A. Popat,PhD

Clinical AssociateProfessor,

Departmentof Epidemiology

and PopulationHealth

KristinSainani,PhD

Associate Professor,

Departmentof Epidemiology

and PopulationHealth

Marcia L.Stefanick,PhD

Professor of Medicine

(Stanford Prevention

Research Center), Professorof Obstetrics & Gynecology,

and by courtesy Professor of

Epidemiology and Population

Health, Director, Stanford

Women’s Health and Sex

Differences in Medicine(WHSDM) Center

Holly Tabor, PhD

Associate Professor,

Department of Medicine and

by courtesy, Department ofEpidemiology and

Population Health) and

Associate Director, Stanford

Center for Biomedical Ethics

Robert Siegel

Professor(Teaching)of

Microbiologyand

Immunology

Matthew Bogyo,PhD

Professorof Pathology,and

of Microbiology&

Immunology

Alice S. Whittemore,Ph.D.

Professor (Emerita) of

Epidemiology

and BiostatisticsDepartments of Epidemiology

and Population Health

and of Biomedical Data

Science

Sara Singer, MBA PhD

Professorof Medicine

(PrimaryCare and Population

Health),and by courtesyGraduate Schoolof Business

Lucy S Tompkins,MDPhD

Professor of Medicine

(Infectious Diseases and

Geographic Medicine)

Professor of Microbiology and

Immunology

Hospital Epidemiologist andMedical Director

Dept Infection Prevention and

Control Stanford Hospital and

Clinics

A. Desiree LaBeaud, MD,

MS

Professorof Pediatrics

(InfectiousDiseases)and Epidemiology

and PopulationHealth

DavidSchneider,PhD

Professor of Microbiology

and Immunology

Ami S. Bhatt,MD,PhD

Assistant Professor of

Medicine (Hematology;

Blood & Marrow

Transplantation) and of

Genetics