Book Release
Follow the Science: How a Country Lost the Line Between Science and Empathy, and How We Find Our Way Home
Many Canadians sensed something was wrong during the COVID-19 years, even if they struggled to put it into words.
Public health decisions were framed as purely scientific, dissent was often dismissed rather than examined, and empathy, once central to care, seemed to fall away. For some, the experience was confusing. For others, it was deeply personal.
Follow the Science is written for readers who want to understand what happened without being told what to think.
Part personal account, part investigation, and part reflection, the book examines how public health in Canada became increasingly politicized, how legitimate questions were sidelined, and what it cost, not just statistically, but humanly. It looks carefully at data, policy decisions, and risk communication, while also making space for uncertainty, nuance, and compassion.
This is not a polemic, nor a rejection of science. It is a call to take science seriously enough to hold it alongside ethics, proportionality, and empathy, especially in moments of crisis.
Written by Kevin James Vowles, a former Violence and Injury Prevention Educator within British Columbia’s public health system, the book is grounded in lived experience. Vowles was dismissed from Island Health in 2022 after being denied accommodation for a documented anaphylactic condition. His story forms one thread in a broader examination of how systems behave under pressure, and how individuals are affected when flexibility disappears.
Follow the Science offers readers a steady, evidence-informed space to reflect on the pandemic years, and to consider how we might rebuild trust, dialogue, and care moving forward.
Book Pricing
This book is offered freely because the questions it raises belong to everyone.
No paywall. No required agreement. No pressure.
Read the e-book for free by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page.
Support the work (optional)
If you are in a position to support the work, a suggested contribution of $15 CAD helps cover time, hosting, and allows this project to continue without compromise. Please e-transfer to kevinjvowles@gmail.com
Ten percent (10%) of all support received is directed to United Healthcare Workers of British Columbia, who are pursuing legal action related to provincial pandemic policies and mandates.
A further ten percent (10%) is directed to Kayla Pollack, whose life changed dramatically after a third vaccine dose left her quadriplegic. Contributions help support her ongoing needs, stability, independence, and future opportunities.
If you’re not able to contribute, I warmly with open hands and heart offer it to you to read it anyway.
A paperback edition of Follow the Science: How a Country Lost the Line Between Science and Empathy, and How We Find Our Way Home, will be available mid-February.
Printed copies are offered on a pay-what-you-can basis:
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Suggested contribution: $40 CAD
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Sliding scale available: down to $20 CAD
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Pay what you can. No explanation required.
Advance print book orders are appreciated, as they help cover printing and distribution costs. If you do order a paperback book please send me an email to kevinjvowles@gmail.com and include a shipping address. For Salt Spring Island residents, there will be a public facing launch Mid-February (details to follow) and you can pick your copy up there without paying shipping costs.
Shipping (at cost):
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Canada: $7 flat rate
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United States: $10 flat rate
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International: $15 flat rate
For US and International orders please make PayPal payment to kevinjvowles@gmail.com
A note on intention: This book is not a product launch or a campaign. It is a public record of a period that left many people confused, divided, or unheard.
Those who wish to support the work may do so.
Those who can’t are equally welcome to read, share, and decide for themselves.
Thank-you in advance for supporting this important work. To read the E-book please click here for a pdf download.