During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health was subject to endless debate, but much of that debate was clouded by partisan politics and right-wing denialism. With the emergency phase of COVID in the past, now is the time for us to honestly reflect on how public health was managed in the face of its greatest challenge, a once-in-a-century global pandemic. As Sandro Galea explains, public health initiatives have saved countless lives since 2020, but its leading institutions became mired in politics, lost the public’s trust, and strayed from some of their core tenets. Acknowledging that the public health establishment lost sight of its core values isn’t to betray a political party or militant anti-vaxxers. It is merely to recognize that a thoughtful review of the last 3 years is a vital step toward a healthier and more trusted system. Sandro Galea MD is dean of the Boston University School of Public Health, has been named an epidemiology innovator by Time, a top voice in healthcare by LinkedIn, and is one of the most cited social scientists in the world.