Public Health Review Morning Edition

Kim Martin, ASTHO's Director of Immunization, tells us how an event like National Influenza Vaccination Week impacts vaccination awareness; ASTHO CEO Mike Fraser says communities weary of COVID-19 cannot afford to let their guard down; and Dr. Nicole Alexander Scott, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, explains the value of health equity zones. ASTHO Blog Article: Flu Activity Rising – It's Time to Get the Vaccine! CDC webpage: National Influenza Vaccination Week ASTHO webpage: Public Health Review podcast

Claire Hannan, Executive Director of the Association of Immunization Managers, says vaccines have benefitted from the attention they've received during the pandemic; Jessica Baggett, ASTHO's COVID-19 Response Director, says states and territories have work to do to prepare for the rollout of antiviral therapies, like the AstraZeneca formula given emergency use authorization by the FDA Wednesday afternoon; a new ASTHO blog article details how an interagency collaboration aims to improve business processes in the U.S. Virgin Islands; and the Surgeon General has a new toolkit available to help public health agencies address online misinformation. Association of Immunization Managers webpage: National Influenza Vaccination Week CDC webpage: National Influenza Vaccination Week ASTHO Blog Article: Interagency Collaboration to Improve Business Processes in the U.S. Virgin Islands U.S. Surgeon General: A Community Toolkit for Addressing Health Misinformation

Dr. Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, a non-profit organization, debuts a media campaign sharing stories of young people suffering from Long COVID; The White House hosts a Maternal Health Day of Action event; and ASTHO is hiring for several open positions. Webpage: Resolve to Save Lives Launches First-of-its-kind "Voices of Long COVID" Media Campaign Throughout the United States Download webpage: Help Promote the Voices of Long COVID The White House: Remarks by Vice President Harris at the Maternal Day of Action Summit ASTHO webpage: Job Opportunities in Public Health and at ASTHO

Dr. Judy Monroe, President and CEO of the CDC Foundation, shares details of a new series of discussions considering the future of public health; Felecia Barrow, an ASTHO Disability and Preparedness Specialist working in Alabama, tells how National Guard members trained to work with the disability community helped a young woman and her family get vaccinated against COVID-19; and the non-profit Resolve to Save Lives organization debuts a media campaign sharing stories of young people suffering from "long COVID." CDC Foundation: Lights, Camera, Action Summit Series ASTHO Blog Article: Embedded – One Year Review of Disability and Preparedness Specialists Project Webpage: Resolve to Save Lives Launches First-of-its-kind "Voices of Long COVID" Media Campaign Throughout the United States

ASTHO Chief Medical Officer Dr. Marcus Plescia says influenza and COVID-19 have a lot in common, as National Influenza Vaccination Week kicks off today; Professor James Hodge Jr., at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University in Phoenix, predicts the fate of several federal vaccine mandates now held up in courts around the nation; and the CDC Foundation, ASTHO, and other groups kick off a series of conversations about the future of public health today. CDC webpage: 2021 NIVW Digital Media Toolkit Bio: Professor James Hodge Jr. CDC Foundation: Lights, Camera, Action Summit Series

ASTHO leaders react to President Biden's winter COVID-19 strategy. Dr. Nirav Shah, ASTHO President and Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and Dr. Marcus Plescia, ASTHO's Chief Medical Officer, discuss booster shots, messaging, pharmacy capacity, and at-home tests; and we recognize International Day of Persons with Disabilities today with a story about Felecia Barrow, ASTHO's Disability and Preparedness Specialist in Alabama, who shares her idea to train National Guard members how to assist people living with disabilities. The White House webpage: President Biden Announces New Actions to Protect Americans Against the Delta and Omicron Variants as We Battle COVID-19 this Winter ASTHO YouTube post: Public Health Leaders Discuss Omicron Variant Amid Reported U.S. Case ASTHO Blog Article: Embedded – One Year Review of Disability and Preparedness Specialists Project

ASTHO Chief Medical Officer Dr. Marcus Plescia says there are more questions than answers regarding the Omicron variant now in the United States; Dr. Plescia writes in a new ASTHO blog article that the pandemic presents an historic opportunity to address health equity in the U.S.; Aika Aluc, ASTHO's Senior Analyst for Maternal and Infant Health, examines the many ways states and territories have worked to advance breastfeeding and health equity in a new report; and ASTHO releases details of a new webinar series exploring breastfeeding equity. CDC website: First Confirmed Case of Omicron Variant Detected in the United States ASTHO Blog Article: The Historic Opportunity COVID-19 Presents to Address Health Equity ASTHO Report: Examining State Innovations to Advance Breastfeeding and Health Equity ASTHO Webinar Series: Fostering Breastfeeding Equity Through Community Engagement

Dr. Stephen Lee, Executive Director of the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors, talks about World AIDS Day and the opportunities for public health agencies; Dr. Umair Shah, Washington's Secretary of Health, explains how personal challenges help him connect with people in his state; Dr. Mary Bassett begins work today as New York's new commissioner of health; and ASTHO provides details of key job openings. ASTHO Blog Article: World AIDS Day 2021 – Ending the HIV Epidemic World AIDS Day webpage New York State webpage: Governor Hochul Appoints Dr. Mary T. Bassett as Commissioner of the Department of Health ASTHO webpage: Job Opportunities in Public Health and at ASTHO

Several ASTHO members attend a White House event in appreciation of public health workers across the states and territories. ASTHO President Dr. Nirav Shah, ASTHO President-Elect Dr. Anne Zink, California's Dr. Tomas Aragon, and Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt from Washington, D.C. offer comments to a national audience; Dr. Steven Stack, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, says vulnerable populations have a tough time advocating for investments that benefit them; and ASTHO releases a new brief scanning the work members have done to leverage telehealth services during the pandemic. The White House YouTube page: Virtual Event – Public Health Community Appreciation Town Hall APHA webpage: Public Health Thank You Day ASTHO webpage: Public Health Review podcast ASTHO Brief: Using Lessons from the COVID-19 Response to Inform Telehealth Activities

Dr. Alexis Travis, Michigan's Senior Deputy Director at the Department of Health and Human Services, explains her focus on caring for people with Alzheimer's and other dementias; Janet Hamilton, Executive Director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, shares the advice she gives her members about inconsistent funding for public health initiatives; Josh Berry, Analyst for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at ASTHO, offers his "thankful" note to celebrate Public Health Thank You Day. CDC webpage: Healthy Brain Initiative – Road Map for State and Local Public Health AFA webpage: November is Alzheimer's Awareness Month ASTHO webpage: Public Health Review Podcast APHA webpage: Public Health Thank You Day