On September 5, Temple University epidemiologist Maciej Boni, professor in the Department of Biology, joined investigative journalist David Zweig in a moderated debate on one of the most divisive questions of our time: What did we get right—and wrong—during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Hosted by Braver Angels, a national movement dedicated to bridging divides through civil discourse, and moderated by Wilk Wilkinson, the event was attended by students, faculty and community members, who engaged in a civil and data-centered discussion on the primary and secondary effects of pandemic policy.

In the pandemic’s first year, policymakers faced what Boni, a researcher in the university’s Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine, called the United States’ biggest challenge since Pearl Harbor: an urgent race to minimize deaths from a rapidly spreading virus.

The emergency decision to close schools, restrict social gatherings and enforce mask mandates helped slow transmission but also resulted in secondary effects, including unemployment and widespread social isolation, which later drew significant criticism. Boni, then conducting active research and advising state departments of health, recalled the stark realities of March 2020 and emphasized that every minimizing measure was considered to suppress the initial wave of infection.

One of the most contentious decisions was to close schools. Zweig pointed to the significant learning loss and social setbacks American children experienced during the pandemic, noting that select European countries like Denmark and Sweden had reopened schools sooner with little observed increase in transmission in May 2020. He contended that while closures were effective early on, their extended duration prolonged learning loss among children.

From an epidemiological standpoint, Boni discussed data showing that COVID-19 cases rose 10-15% in partially open schools and 30% in fully open schools as compared to closed schools, though it remains uncertain how many additional deaths these longer closures prevented. He noted that policymakers gave scientists little guidance. As a result, researchers were left to communicate among themselves and rely on their own risk judgments in the absence of clear leadership, a gap that Boni identified as the pandemic’s most significant challenge.

Looking ahead, Boni stressed that these lessons must shape future responses. Clearer communication between policymakers and scientists, better preparation for secondary impacts, and stronger national leadership in the face of an emergency will be essential in the next public health crisis.

“At some point in the future, we’re going to have another pandemic,” he reminded the audience. “And we’re going to have to have civil discussions about how to respond to it.”

For the full conversation, a recording is available here, with key points including the discussion of primary and secondary effects (41:45 - 44:00), non-pharmaceutical protocols (masking and bans on gatherings) (18:00 - 21:00), and school closures (53:00 - 58:00).