Two leaders of the Infectious Diseases Society of Ohio recount their clinical and research roles when COVID-19 struck Cincinnati in March 2020 and defend science-based responses. They cite Ohio's toll—3,944,906 cases, 44,976 deaths, and 158,788 hospitalizations—and criticize Sen. Bernie Moreno's July 29 hearing conduct for promoting unfounded accusations against Dr. Anthony Fauci. The authors call for balanced, evidence-focused oversight that strengthens public health rather than creating partisan spectacle.
COVID-19 Hearings Should Seek Truth, Not Headlines — Ohio Infectious-Disease Leaders Defend Science
Keith Luckett
In March 2020, when COVID-19 began spreading through the Cincinnati area, we were immediately pulled into the hospital and university response. One of us worked long clinical shifts treating patients; the other led research efforts to find treatments and preventions. As leaders in the Infectious Diseases Society of Ohio, we write to defend the scientific effort and to criticize the politicization of pandemic review.
On the Front Lines
Working 12- to 16-hour days, seven days a week, our teams treated the earliest patients, coordinated regional health-system responses across Cincinnati and Ohio, and opened clinical studies aimed at reducing deaths and preventing infection. We remember the many patients who did not survive and the deep pain of families who lost loved ones.
The Human Toll
To be clear: Ohio has reported 3,944,906 COVID-19 cases, including 44,976 deaths, and 158,788 hospitalizations since the pandemic began. These numbers represent real people—neighbors, coworkers, and family members—and the tireless work of health-care teams across our state.
On Science and Leadership
Science is iterative: it uses the best available evidence, applies it to urgent problems, and improves as new data arrive. No clinician or scientist had full knowledge of this novel virus at the start; we learned, adapted, and refined our approach in real time. Dr. Anthony Fauci helped synthesize and coordinate evolving data from across the nation and the world. As director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for more than three decades, his leadership during both the AIDS epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to discoveries that saved lives.
Carl Fichtenbaum
On the July 29 Hearing
What should have been a careful, evidence-focused review instead devolved into a spectacle. During the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, some senators — including Sen. Bernie Moreno — lobbed unsubstantiated accusations, at times using profanity. Such attacks distract from the legitimate work of learning what went right and what needs improvement. When public officials dismiss established public-health measures—masking, vaccination, and other time-honored interventions—the proper response is to ask for evidence: where are the data and peer-reviewed studies that support those claims?
"Where is your data, Senator Moreno? We await the studies and citations."
What We Should Demand
Congressional oversight can be constructive when it is balanced and focused on improving public health policy. Reasoned inquiries should address how to balance disease control with societal needs—keeping workplaces open, preserving schooling for children, and protecting vulnerable populations—while avoiding partisan theater that undermines trust in science and public institutions.
Conclusion
We urge senators and the public to prioritize rigorous evidence, civil discourse, and the hard work of learning from the pandemic rather than seeking headlines. Stop using COVID-19 and Dr. Fauci for political gain.
Dr. Keith M. Luckett, North Avondale — President-Elect, Infectious Diseases Society of Ohio
Dr. Carl J. Fichtenbaum, Clifton — Past President, Infectious Diseases Society of Ohio
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