Public Health On Call

We're in a strange "limbo" where vaccinations are on the rise, but so are hospitalizations. Epidemiologist Keri Althoff and mental health expert Elizabeth Stuart return to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about making safe decisions, why vaccinated people shouldn't take off their masks just yet, and the need for flexibility as mixed messaging and lots of transitions may be the "new normal" for now. KEYWORDS: herd immunity; viral mutation; policy

There's a lack of data around COVID-19 in humanitarian settings and refugee camps so it's difficult to know how people there have fared in the pandemic. Paul Spiegel, director of the Center for Humanitarian Health, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the data vacuum and the importance of vaccinating all who are at high risk of severe COVID. They also discuss how humanitarian assistance has fared since the pandemic cut off many aid zones from international funds and resources, leaving local and national NGOs to fill the gap. KEYWORDS: vaccine distribution; international health; healthcare infrastructure

While one-third of Americans have received their first COVID vaccine dose, COVID cases in parts of the U.S. are at their highest levels since December because of new variants that are more contagious. Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert, and adviser to President Biden talks with Stephanie Desmon about the critical place we're in now, his fears for children who are both more likely to spread and be sickened by the B.117 variant, and his worries about newer variants that might not be thwarted by current vaccines. KEYWORDS: viral mutation; child health

Dr. Susan Sherman talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about her 2016-2017 research on the relationship between female sex workers and police, including how abusive policing practices directly and indirectly put the health and safety of the women at risk. They then discuss Dr. Sherman's recommendations for a different approach. Note: After this podcast was recorded, Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced that the city will permanently stop prosecuting prostitution, drug possession, and other low-level offenses—a move that began during COVID-19 as a way to dedensify prisons and jails. KEYWORDS: decarceration; substance use; gender equity

The theme of this year's National Public Health Week is "Building Bridges to Better Health." Dr. Georges Benjamin, president of the American Public Health Association, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the poor condition of these bridges, from archaic lab technology and a sparse workforce to gross inequities in health care. They discuss what needs to be done to fix the system so these inequities, and current and potential health threats, can be addressed to save lives. KEYWORDS: health equity; healthcare infrastructure; policy

In a special 4-part series excerpted from a webcast, we look at the extraordinary challenges facing the field of public health in the COVID era. In the final episode, we hear more about how serious the problems are and what can be done about it. Lori Freeman, NACCHO CEO; Chrissy Juliano, Executive Director of the Big Cities Health Coalition; and Dr. Marcus Plescia, Chief Medical Officer of ASTO, talk about direct calls to action to address the "boom-and-bust" cycle of public health infrastructure to address the COVID-19 and future pandemics and all sorts of other issues that threaten the public's health. KEYWORDS: misinformation; pandemic response; policy

In a special 4-part series excerpted from a webcast, we look at the extraordinary challenges facing the field of public health in the COVID era. Today, Dr. Sara Cody, Health Officer and Director of the Santa Clara Public Health Department in California; Jennifer Kertanis, Director of Health at Farmington Valley Health District in Connecticut; and Lisa Macon Harrison, Health Director of the Granville-Vance Health Department in North Carolina talk about their experiences with harassment and what needs to be done to protect public health workers. Then, Dr. Josh Sharfstein talks with Dr. Joneigh Khaldun of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services about fallout from this crisis and signs of hope from a new administration. KEYWORDS: misinformation; pandemic response; policy

In a special 4-part series excerpted from a webcast, we look at the extraordinary challenges facing the field of public health in the COVID era. Today, Dr. Beth Resnick and Paulani Mui of Johns Hopkins talk about their research on the issue of challenges facing public health officers during the pandemic. They put current challenges in the context of long-standing underfunding of critical public health infrastructure. The presentation referenced in this episode can be seen in the recorded webcast here: https://www.jhsph.edu/covid-19/news-and-events/events/2021/february-24.html KEYWORDS: misinformation; pandemic response; policy

In a special 4-part series excerpted from a webcast, we look at the extraordinary challenges facing the field of public health in the COVID era. Today, a message from Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC. Then, we hear from three public health officers: Dr. Mysheika Roberts, the Health Commissioner of Columbus Public Health in Ohio; Dr. Greg Holzman, the State Medical Officer of the Department of Public Health and Human Services of Montana; and Dr. Jennifer Bacani McKenney, the Health Officer of the Wilson County Health Department in Kansas. They talk about the significant challenges they and their staff have faced during the pandemic. KEYWORDS: misinformation; pandemic response; community mental health

Una conversación entre Dra. Sara Polk, una de las directoras del Centro Sol de la universidad de Johns Hopkins y Gabriela Calderon Velazquez, especialista en salud escolar de Johns Hopkins. Hablan sobre el regreso a clases en persona en el tiempo de covid. Escuchemos.