Failure to reasonably presume, then later accept the airborne spread of COVID and operationalize the appropriate structural mitigations is at the source of every major shortcoming in our response to the pandemic, and every major form of physical, mental, economic and social harm it has brought about. It doomed our public health, social and economic responses, ensuring they would not be fully effective, appropriately targeted and minimally disruptive, ultimately leading to many divisions in society we see today.