Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter) / X

Bob Wachter

23.5K posts

Bob Wachter

@Bob_Wachter

Chair, UCSF Dept of Medicine. Career: What happens when a poli sci major becomes an academic MD. Author, "A Giant Leap" on Health AI. Hubby/Dad/Grandpa/Golfer.

San Francisco

Joined January 2011

Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Jan 8, 2022
I’ve been tweeting about Covid for nearly 2 years. But this week it became personal when my 28-year-old younger son got it. With his permission, I’ll describe his experience & how I approached his situation, given the realities of life and the rapidly changing evidence.(1/25)
Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Oct 4, 2020
The more I think about it, the more concerned I am about 25th Amendment issues & Trump's mental status. We know he was "lethargic" & we know he's been hypoxic (low oxygen). We now know he's on a medication (dexamethasone) that causes confusion or altered thinking at times (1/3)
Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Oct 4, 2020
When I saw "Secret Service" trending & read first tweet on Trump's joy ride around Walter Reed, I thought, "This has got to be a joke." But nope, it's real. So massively irresponsible. And another reason to question whether he is capable of making sound decisions at this time.
Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Feb 11, 2021
We've received more useful guidance from @CDCgov in the past week than the prior 52 combined. And more coming on schools, what the vaccinated can and can't do, etc. Nice to see that this national treasure was hibernating and not destroyed. @CDCDirector
Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Oct 7, 2020
Well, my goal on @maddow @MSNBC wasn't to "rattle" Rachel. But I did, when she asked about possibility that Trump's decision-making is impaired due to steroids/Covid, & I walked her through why the answer is yes – and that the patient may not realize it. Will post video when up.
Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Jan 12, 2022
A) "Everyone will be exposed to Omicron" B) "Everyone will get Omicron" They're different. (A) promotes appropriate caution till surge ends: boost, N95, outdoor>indoor. (B) promotes counterproductive behavior as hospitals are overwhelmed. Biggest difference: A is true. B is not.
Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Jan 24, 2021
Dear Media: As you report cases of Covid in vaccinated people (happens: vaccine is 95%, not 100%, effective) and people who died soon after vaccination (happens: coincidence), please ALSO report on the >3000 people dying of Covid each day who would've been saved by vaccination.
Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Apr 18, 2022
Biden administration needs to fight this decision, even if is was gearing up to make the same call in a couple of weeks. Accepting a precedent that says that @CDCgov or other agencies don't have the authority to enact mandates during a public health emergency is enormously scary.
Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Jun 11, 2021
My younger son, who is autistic, went out tonite to hear music with friends. When I picked him up, he was smiling. "This is great," he said. "Nobody knows how to socialize anymore."
Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Dec 23, 2021
Anybody who says "I hate Twitter" has never tried to keep up with a pandemic in which crucial new data is released every few hours, data that often requires sophisticated interpretation by domain experts in areas ranging from virology to epidemiology to supply chain to sociology.
Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Oct 5, 2020
"Don't be afraid of Covid." Are you kidding me? After 210,000 deaths in the U.S. & 1 million deaths worldwide? This either shows a breathtakingly callous, inhumane & counterproductive attitude, or he has altered mental status – in which case the 25th Amendment should be invoked.
Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Jan 8, 2022
Replying to @Bob_Wachter
My son should do OK, but the illness & the anxiety it causes are miserable. Resigning ourselves to getting Omicron doesn’t seem right, especially since the surge may be short-lived. I still think it’s an experience best avoided – for you and your loved ones – if you can. (25/end)
Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Aug 28, 2022
I’m not doing indoor dining, and I still wear a mask in crowded indoor spaces. While most in US have chosen to be less careful, in this 🧵 I’ll review the logic & math behind my decisions, hoping that some of you will find them useful in navigating today’s Covid landscape. (1/25)
Bob Wachter
@Bob_Wachter
Dec 18, 2020
How awesome that William received his vaccine before I did. The vaccine rollout is a window into the culture and priorities of an organization.
UCSF Health
@UCSFHospitals
Dec 17, 2020
Senior custodian William Wyatt was the first frontline #HealthcareHero at UCSF to receive a #COVID19 vaccine yesterday. William has been cleaning dirty linens in hospital rooms during the pandemic. #UCSFHeroes