Public Health On Call

During the pandemic, many found solace outdoors on hikes and in city parks. Dr. Mamie Parker, ecologist, activist, and the first Black Head of Fisheries for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service talks with Josh Sharfstein about how getting back in touch with nature offers an opportunity to see just how connected we are to the earth, how much we depend on a healthy environment for our own physical and mental well-being, and how critical it is for us to take action on conservation.

As a zoonotic disease, COVID-19 can infect animals. Some, like farmed mink, are more susceptible to disease while others, like white-tailed deer, may only be carriers. But there's always the chance that a new variant of COVID could impact more animals, potentially endangering wild and captive creatures. Veterinarian Dr. Meghan Davis returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about what we now know about the risks for our pet dogs and cats as well as protected species like wild gorillas, and why some zoos are using an experimental vaccine for their animals.

How does a health department cope with a pandemic surge that coincides with one of the largest hurricanes to make landfall in 150 years? State health commissioner Dr. Joseph Kanter talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the challenges of dual emergencies, how the pandemic and storm responses impacted one another, and how the health department is coping nearly 19 months into the pandemic.

Where are we with our mental health these days given that we're past the initial panic of the COVID-19 pandemic and into a more long-term fallout phase? Clinical psychologist Dr. Laura Murray returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about COVID as a collective trauma; overlap with other "high impact events" like Afghanistan, hurricanes, refugee crises, and more; what's contributing to fractures in society; and how to pad our "mental bank account" to better manage ongoing stress and trauma.

Dr. Shaun Truelove, an infectious disease epidemiologist, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub's models for the next six months into early 2022. Researchers projected what could happen under four scenarios of vaccination rates, including authorizing vaccines for children, and the possibility for new variants. Spoiler alert: It's not all bad news. Learn more: https://covid19scenariomodelinghub.org/

What, exactly, is a booster shot? For which groups has the FDA authorized Pfizer boosters? What about boosters for Moderna and J&J? Will we need a fourth shot in the future? Will there be a delta-specific booster? Would it make a difference in world vaccine supply if the US refrained from giving any boosters? Stephanie Desmon interviews cohost Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these and more COVID-19 booster questions.

Last spring, India experienced a catastrophic wave of COVID-19 infections with more than 100,000 cases per day, exceeding hospital capacity in some areas and leading to oxygen shortages. What has happened since? From their homes in India, infectious disease researchers Dr. Vidya Mave and Dr. Brian Wahl talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the state of the pandemic and the return to daily life.

With the rollout of vaccines earlier this year, the concept of "herd immunity"—the idea that enough people would become immune to COVID-19 that we could more or less "return to normal"—seemed plausible. But a number of factors are complicating the US's fight against the pandemic and we're still seeing thousands of people dying every day. Epidemiologists Amber D'Souza and David Dowdy return to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about vaccinations and the delta variant, what the future might look like and why we may need to accept that COVID-19 is here to stay.

Where are we with testing technology? Why is the demand for testing surging and are there enough tests? When is the best time to use at-home testing given the cost? What's the difference between PCR and rapid antigen tests and how accurate are they in different circumstances? Dr. Gigi Gronvall gives an update on testing and answers questions with Stephanie Desmon. Note: Dr. Gronvall references the Center For Health Security's Testing Toolkit resource, which you can find here https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/covid-19TestingToolkit/.

Mississippi is leading the nation in the rate of COVID deaths. Dr. Thomas Dobbs, the state's health commissioner, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the state's pandemic crisis, including its impact on pregnant women, the role of misinformation, and the impact on the health care system.