The Oxford English Dictionary defines palimpsest in various ways, including (1) a parchment or other writing surface on which the original text has been effaced or partially erased, and then overwritten by another, (2) a manuscript in which later writing has been superimposed on earlier (effaced) writing, (3) having been reused or altered while still retaining traces of its earlier form, (4) as a structure characterized by superimposed features produced at two or more distinct periods in physical geography and geology, and (5) a multilayered record. Based on these definitions, the term may be considered metaphorically in relation to this newsletter, with COVID-19 serving as an apt illustration of a topic that has been discussed on several occasions in these pages over the last several months.

The coronavirus pandemic is the equivalent of a verbal diorama under construction where events continue to unfold. Older controversies remain unresolved while new ones appear at regular intervals. Meanwhile, it essentially seems likely that the final chapter will not be written any time soon. Going back more than one year ago, debates continue about the origin of this disease. Did it arise in China and in Wuhan in particular? Was the source a wet market that sold bats and other animal kinds of foods or did this ailment emerge accidentally from an infectious disease laboratory?

Early guidelines from authoritative organizations, such as the WHO and the CDC indicated that the disease was not transmissible and that wearing masks for protective reasons was unwarranted. Moving ahead to the current month, debates are underway regarding whether one, two, or three masks should be worn. Which medications and related forms of treatment to use in treating infected patients and whether to do so in hospitals or elsewhere represent other areas of disagreement. Somewhat alarmingly, social distancing and lockdown policies are viewed as causing more problems rather than producing constructive solutions for them. While health officials advocate having children return to their classrooms, some teacher unions disagree on the wisdom of doing so. Even though vaccines are available, locales around the U.S. differ on which population subgroups should be given priority to receive them while anti vaxxers resist being immunized at all.

Over the years, this newsletter has contained items about improvements in health care as well as concerns worth addressing. Advances in genomics are associated with new breakthroughs that are destined to arise at regular intervals. Another page of the current issue of this newsletter discusses how research soon may allow calculation of polygenic risk scores (PRS) for suicide death, a top 10 cause of fatality in the U.S. The possibility of this development, which could be marketed directly to consumers, is accompanied by ethical concerns. Anticipated benefits are prevention of suicide and reduced stigma that might be offset by an increase in adverse psychological effects. Innovations in the health realm often are perceived as having significant individual and community-level benefits. Yet, there remains a likelihood of other concerns becoming manifested that relate not only to access to insurance and employment, but also to increased anxiety and depression.

return to February 2021 trends

PALIMSEST AS METAPHOR

More February 2021 TRENDS Articles

PALIMSEST

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AND COVID-19

HEALTH REFORM DEVELOPMENTS

DEVELOPMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

QUICK STAT (SHORT, TIMELY, AND TOPICAL)

OBTAINABLE RESOURCES

THE PRODOME: DIAGNOSIS, DISADVANTAGE, AND BIOMEDICAL AMBIGUITY

IMPLICATIONS OF GENETIC TESTING FOR SUICIDE RISK