Public Health On Call

Latest Episodes:

205 - Racism As a Public Health Crisis: Environmental Injustice Nov 19, 2020

Show notes

Pollution and racism go hand in hand: low-income, predominantly non-white communities with less capital and political power become dumping zones for hazardous waste and other toxic environmental exposures. As part of an ongoing series on structural racism and public health, Keshia Pollack Porter dives into the topic of environmental injustice with Hopkins environmental epidemiologist Dr. Aisha Dickerson and EPA Environmental Health Fellow Dr. Dana Williamson.

KEYWORDS: health equity; racial disparity; environmental racism

BONUS - National Injury Prevention Day Nov 18, 2020

Show notes

November 18 is the first National Injury Prevention Day. Injuries like burns, falls, and poisonings are the leading cause of death in the US for children over the age of 1 and most are preventable. Prevention experts Dr. Barbara Barlow, founder of a national coalition to prevent childhood injuries, Injury Free Coalition of Kids, and Eileen McDonald, director of Baltimore's local coalition, talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about awareness of pediatric injury issues, the history of initiatives, and solutions to keep children safe like window bars, bike helmets, stair gates, smoke alarms, and more. Learn more with #BeInjuryFree on social media.

204 - Denmark's Mink Situation and an Update on Pets and COVID-19 Nov 18, 2020

Show notes

Denmark, one of world's leading pelt producers, is culling all of its farmed mink after evidence that a different variant of SARS-CoV-2 might be circulating among the animals. Veterinary expert Dr. Meghan Davis returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about whether or not mink pose a danger to humans, what the news means for disease surveillance, and an update on household pets and COVID-19.

KEYWORDS: zoonotic virus; contact tracing; animal health

203 - Can COVID-19 Vaccines Be Mandatory in the US and Who Decides? Nov 17, 2020

Show notes

Once COVID-19 vaccines are widely available, could they be made mandatory and, if so, what entities could enforce this? Legal and public health expert Joanne Rosen talks with Stephanie Desmon about the legislative precedent for mandatory vaccinations that dates all the way back to a 1905 Supreme Court case after a smallpox outbreak in Massachusetts. They also discuss other strategies states could consider to achieve widespread vaccination for COVID-19.

KEYWORDS: vaccine mandates; policy

202 - Kaiser's Chief Health Officer Dr. Bechara Choucair On COVID-19 Response Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

Kaiser Permanente, the largest not-for-profit health system in the US, has mobilized in response to COVID-19. Senior vice president and chief health officer Dr. Bechara Choucair talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about coaching for patients who test positive, contact tracing partnerships with local health departments, and a focus on addressing patients' social needs like rent and food so they can isolate and quarantine safely.

KEYWORDS: household transmission; pandemic response; health equity

BONUS - Dr. Josh Sharfstein on Pfizer's Vaccine and Next Steps Nov 13, 2020

Show notes

This week, Pfizer reported some encouraging early results from Phase III of it's COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. Dr. Josh Sharfstein talks with Stephanie Desmon about what might happen next, when we could see the first doses of vaccines available, and how we should continue vigilance with masks, distancing, and handwashing while waiting for widespread vaccination to bring the pandemic to a heel.

201 - Overdispersion of COVID-19: Why A Small Percentage of People May Be Responsible for the Majority of Transmission Nov 13, 2020

Show notes

High profile instances show up in the news as "super spreader" events, but there's evidence that the phenomenon of "overdispersion" could be much more common. Infectious disease epidemiologist Dr. Justin Lessler and doctoral student Kyra Grantz talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the biological and social contributors to overdispersion, and what it could mean for public health strategy.

KEYWORDS: pandemic response; contact tracing; viral shedding

BONUS - World Pneumonia Day Nov 12, 2020

Show notes

Pneumonia is the leading killer of children under 5 around the world with most deaths in low- and middle-income countries. But it's not just a problem of developing countries: pneumonia is also the most common reason for hospitalization of children in the US. In recognition of World Pneumonia Day, pediatric infectious disease specialist Dr. Anita Shet and Leith Greenslade, coordinator of the Every Breath Counts Coalition talk with Stephanie Desmon about World Pneumonia Day, how COVID-19 is impacting efforts to reduce childhood deaths, and how the pandemic may have brought attention to one significant problem: access to oxygen in lower- and middle-income countries.

200 - The Logistics and Ethics of Distributing COVID-19 Vaccines Nov 12, 2020

Show notes

We're closer to safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines, but what will the actual rollout look like? Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, a bioethicist and health policy expert recently appointed to President-elect Joe Biden's coronavirus task force, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the challenges in distributing a vaccine in the US. They discuss which groups might get access first, logistical challenges including cold chain and glass supply concerns, and the steps needed between concluding clinical trials and actually distributing a vaccine. They also talk about the formidable efforts that will be needed to advocate for getting vaccinated which could include a massive campaign with endorsements from trusted celebrities and thought leaders.

KEYWORDS: supply chain; health communication; vaccine approval

199 - What We Can Learn From The Success of the NBA's COVID-19 Bubble Nov 11, 2020

Show notes

After the National Basketball Association shut down on March 11, the league was able to resume play and complete both its season and postseason without interruption from COVID-19 from the safety of "the bubble." Pete Meisel, the NBA's senior manager for player health and an alumnus of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what went into the bubble, how they maintained the players' physical and mental health and safety, and what we can learn from the bubble's success.

KEYWORDS: athletes; pandemic response; testing methods

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