The Covid pandemic called on a director of PublicHealth to be, at once, a numbers analyst and a truster of intuition; astrategic planner and a flexible responder to changed circumstances; to have alaser-like focus on the local while being aware of the global; to recognisesocial inequalities as a structural reality while responding to individuals'lived experience; to be the leader of a team and a community organiser; aneffective public communicator and a good listener. Most of all a sympatheticsoul and something of a philosopher. Jason Strelitz is all of these and agifted writer which makes this inside account of the pandemic essentialreading. Professor Sir Michael Marmot CH, Director, UCLInstitute of Health EquityDrawing on his experience of working during the Covid-19 pandemic,Jason Strelitz provides an excellent account of how national public policy canonly work well if it is carefully adapted to the diversity of localcircumstances. As Director of Public Health in Newham, East London, he writesabout how his public health team dealt with the unfolding impact of theCovid-19 pandemic with an innovative and 'can do' approach. He writes with apassion for local communities and for evidence-based policy. His references tothe long-term impact of school closures on children deserve particularattention. Especially for children living in poverty - as more than half ofNewham's children do. His book is full of examples of how nationally determinedpolicy needs to give local actors the space to adapt policy to the realities ofhealth risks and vulnerabilities at the local level. Barry Quirk, Adviser to local Government and the publicsector, former London Chief Executive.In Newham, wefaced a perfect storm, where a new infection collided with social inequalitiesto devastating effect. Same Storm is a compelling account of that impact, ofcommunity focused leadership, and the power of people coming together. DrFarzana Hussain, Newham GP