Public Health Review Morning Edition

Dr. Kimberlee Wyche-Etheridge, ASTHO's new Senior Vice President of Health Equity and Diversity Initiatives, wraps up her first week on the job; Julia Greenspan, ASTHO's Senior Analyst for Infectious Diseases, debuts a new set of tools to help public health teams reduce STIs; and ASTHO offers two resources to aid states and territories supporting COVID-19 contact tracing programs in schools. ASTHO welcomes new senior vice president of health equity and diversity initiatives ASTHO Training: Innovative STD prevention and treatment strategies ASTHO Resource: Summarizing CDC guidance to support COVID-19 contact tracing in K-12 schools ASTHO Resource: How health departments can work with schools to improve K-12 contact tracing programs

Dr. Nirav Shah, ASTHO President and Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, discusses concerns of workshop participants about the way Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) decisions are communicated; Ericka McGowan, ASTHO's Senior Director of Emerging Infectious Disease, writes a blog article sharing seven things to know about vaccines for pregnant people; Priyanka Surio, ASTHO's Senior Director for Public Health Data Modernization and Informatics, reviews a new report assessing data collection related to Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome; and ASTHO promotes key job openings. The National Academies Webpage: FDA EUA Workshop ASTHO Blog Article: Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and COVID-19 vaccines – Seven things to know ASTHO Report: Strengthening health agencies' Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome surveillance through consensus-driven data standards and practices ASTHO Webpage: Job opportunities in public health and at ASTHO

In a special edition of the newscast, ASTHO President Dr. Nirav Shah, ASTHO President Elect Dr. Anne Zink, ASTHO CEO Mike Fraser, and Scott Becker, CEO of the Association of Public Health Laboratories, discuss the FDA's Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) process during a workshop hosted Tuesday by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The National Academies Webpage: FDA EUA Workshop

Dr. Jose Romero, a pediatrician and Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Health, discusses COVID-19 vaccines for kids and parental hesitancy; ASTHO leaders discuss the FDA's Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) process during a national workshop that starts today; Avia Mason, ASTHO's Vice President of Learning Strategy, outlines the benefits of the Insight and Inspiration speaker series; and ASTHO offers a training for contact tracers looking to improve their remote contact tracing skills. The National Academies Webpage: FDA EUA Workshop Pfizer News Release: Topline results for COVID-19 vaccine in children 5 to 11 years ASTHO Webpage: Insight and Inspiration ASTHO Resource: Making contact: A training for COVID-19 case investigators and contact tracers

Carolyn McCoy, ASTHO's Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs, explains how an extension of Medicaid funding for U.S. Territories gives them more time to work toward a permanent policy solution; Dr. Joseph Kanter, Louisiana's State Health Officer and Medical Director, tells Congress public health needs federal help to rebuild its workforce; ASTHO updates the COVID-19 Vaccine Comparison Brief; and ASTHO welcomes new health officials to its ranks. ASTHO Legislative Alert: October 1, 2021 ASTHO News Release: Top Louisiana health official outlines six requests for Congress to prevent crumbling of national public health infrastructure ASTHO Document: COVID-19 Vaccine comparison brief ASTHO Webpage: Member directory

Dr. Marcus Plescia, ASTHO's Chief Medical Officer, discusses the appropriate role of monoclonal antibodies in the COVID-19 response; ASTHO has a Q/A for public health teams who need to explain the CDC's revised guidance for pregnant or breastfeeding individuals; Margaux Haviland, ASTHO's Director of Preparedness and Response Coordination, details EARTH-EX 2021, billed as the largest resilience exercise in history; and ASTHO welcomes several new state and territorial health officials to its ranks. ASTHO Blog Article: Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and COVID-19 vaccines: Seven things to know Webpage: EARTH EX 2021 ASTHO Webpage: Member directory

Dr. Joseph Kanter, Louisiana's State Health Officer and Medical Director, calls on Congress to take steps to address urgent public health workforce needs; Dr. Umair Shah, Secretary of Health for Washington state, reminds public health leaders to keep messaging flexible during the pandemic; Scott Becker, Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Public Health Laboratories, celebrates laboratory teams; and ASTHO shares a conversation with Dr. Jose Romero, Secretary of Health at the Arkansas Department of Health, about his career and experiences, marking National Hispanic Heritage Month. ASTHO News Release: Top Louisiana health official outlines six requests for Congress to prevent crumbling of national public health infrastructure Hybrid hearing on "Upgrading public health infrastructure: The need to protect, rebuild, and strengthen state and local public health departments." ASTHO Podcast: Public Health Review – The importance of crisis communications in public health APHL Blog Article: Celebrate Public Health Laboratory Appreciation Month 2021 with APHL ASTHO Blog Article: A conversation with Jose Romero to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month

Dr. Dave Dixon, a clinical pharmacist and a member of the American College of Cardiology's Prevention Section and Leadership Council, tells us how public health teams can apply the message of World Heart Day in their jurisdictions; Joanne Pearsol, ASTHO's Director of Leadership and Workforce, explains how the new PHWins survey of the public health workforce can help inform personnel funding decisions; ASTHO highlights three job openings; and an ASTHO microlearning helps members navigate and implement the new Healthy People 2030 report. ACC Website: Cardiosmart.org Webpage: PH Wins JPHMP: Public health workforce interests and needs survey (PH Wins) ASTHO: Job opportunities ASTHO Learning: Preparing for Healthy People 2030 Report: Healthy People 2030

Karl Ensign, ASTHO's Vice President for Territorial Support, discusses the potential for Congressional action to approve enhanced financial support for Medicaid services in the U.S. Territories, as a Thursday deadline nears; Dr. Joseph Kanter, Louisiana State Health Officer and Medical Director, makes plans to offer pandemic-related testimony before Congress on Wednesday; ASTHO previews a new episode of the Public Health Review podcast exploring the importance of crisis communications during the pandemic; and we share details of an ASTHO blog article about legislative approaches to PFAS substances. Hybrid hearing on "Upgrading public health infrastructure: The need to protect, rebuild, and strengthen state and local public health departments." ASTHO Blog Article: Regulating and remediating PFAS in states

Joanne Pearsol, ASTHO's Director of Leadership and Workforce, discusses the impact the COVID-19 pandemic might have on the results of the latest PHWins survey now in the field; Dr. Ed Ehlinger, Minnesota's former state health commissioner, explores the health of babies in the U.S. and steps states and territories can take to ensure infants are doing well, even during the pandemic; a new ASTHO blog article surveys legislative measures to ensure crisis readiness; and the CDC prepares to allocate nearly a billion dollars in grant money next month to help fight infections in hospitals and other health care facilities. Webpage: PH Wins JPHMP: Public health workforce interests and needs survey (PH Wins) CDC Webpage: Infant Mortality Month ASTHO Resource: State home visiting approaches improve early childhood outcomes and systems ASTHO Blog Article: The importance of family engagement in breastfeeding programs ASTHO Blog Article: Health policy tackles joint challenges of pandemic and natural disaster preparedness CDC: CDC to invest $2.1 billion to protect patients and healthcare workers from COVID-19 and future infectious diseases CDC Searchable Funding Table