Public Health On Call

Latest Episodes:

163 - Sports Safety and COVID-19 Sep 22, 2020

Show notes

As some schools and leagues resume play among youths, how can parents assess which activities are safer than others? Dr. Tara Kirk Sell—an expert from the Center for Health Security and an Olympic silver medalist in swimming—talks with Stephanie Desmon about how to think about levels of risk in different sports both on and off the field or court, how pro sports teams are thinking through safety, and how they can be messengers for public health. Sell also discusses why, with so many activities deemed nonessential, watching and participating in sports are important for our well-being.

KEYWORDS: athletes; college; student life

162 - Mayor Walt Maddox on Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama, and COVID-19 Sep 21, 2020

Show notes

The University of Alabama saw some 2,000 cases of COVID-19 within the first few weeks of students returning to campus. Walt Maddox, mayor of Tuscaloosa and dad to an Alabama freshman, talks with Stephanie Desmon about how intertwined his city is with the university and how town and gown have had to work together to implement public policies to stem the spread. Maddox also talks about the economic impact COVID-19 has had both on the school and the city, and how all decision making has been rooted in public safety, logic, data, and science.

KEYWORDS: young adults; student life; college

Bonus - What The Massive West Coast Forest Fires Mean For Our Health Sep 18, 2020

Show notes

Fire season in the western US is starting earlier and ending later each year and has seen larger, more intense fires in the last 10 years. How do these fires impact the health of people living nearby and, as smoke plumes spread across the US, can they impact the health of people further away? In this bonus episode, Dr. Kirsten Koehler, an expert in air pollution, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the massive fires currently burning on the west coast, the impacts on human health, how individuals can protect themselves, and what the rest of the US can expect as the smoke spreads.

161 - Friday COVID Q&A With Dr. Tom Inglesby from the Center for Health Security Sep 18, 2020

Show notes

What we are learning from universities that are opening their campuses for in-person schooling? Are rapid COVID tests as accurate as PCR tests? Can asymptomatic people experience heart and lung damage and other long-term health issues? If only some people are being tested, what does the positivity rate really tell us about community spread? If a student is symptomatic, should the entire class be quarantined? Can trick-or-treating or holiday caroling be done safely this year?

Dr. Tom Inglesby and Dr. Josh Sharfstein answer more of your COVID-19 questions sent to publichealthquestion@jhu.edu.

KEYWORDS: testing methods; student life

160 - Iceland's Pandemic Strategy Sep 17, 2020

Show notes

Iceland, an island nation of about 400,000 people, has seen fewer than 2,500 COVID-19 cases and only 10 deaths. Dr. Thorolfur Gudnason, Iceland's chief epidemiologist, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how the country's pandemic strategy meant they never had to close schools or restaurants, and how its research with genomic sequencing helped shed light on COVID-19 transmission and immunity. Gudnason also talks about the public's response, how the country's vital tourism industry has been affected, and his outlook on the next year.

KEYWORDS: contact tracing; antibodies; pandemic response

159 - The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and the Rapidly Escalating Opioid Crisis in Chicago Sep 16, 2020

Show notes

Chicago has seen drastic increases in opioid-related overdoses and deaths compared to 2019—an uptick that started prior to the arrival of COVID. Dr. Wilnise Jasmin, Medical Director for Behavioral Health, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how the pandemic has exacerbated the opioid epidemic while, at the same time, opening up new opportunities, and how Chicago's response to COVID-19 includes addressing the mental health needs of its citizens.

KEYWORDS: stress management; substance use; community mental health

158 - The COVID-19 "Long-Haulers" Who Remain Debilitated Months After Diagnosis Sep 15, 2020

Show notes

A cohort of COVID-19 patients—mostly middle-aged women—who experience "mild" disease not only don't seem to be getting better, they're developing new symptoms like debilitating cognitive fog, dizziness, and palpitations that linger for months after diagnosis. Dr. David Putrino, the Director of Rehabilitation Innovation at Mt. Sinai Health System in New York, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the emerging phenomenon of "long-haulers," expectations around recovery, why the term "mild COVID disease" is problematic, and why this group is vulnerable to medical gaslighting.

KEYWORDS: long-term symptoms; post-viral syndrome

157 - From the Flint Water Crisis to the COVID Pandemic: An interview with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha Sep 14, 2020

Show notes

Flint's water crisis, which exposed thousands of children to excess levels of lead, is far from over, but the city is making progress. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the Michigan State pediatrician who exposed the crisis, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how an "unfair and preventable health crisis" became an opportunity to address disparities and do better. This focus on secondary prevention actually helped build up public health infrastructure that's now being used in the COVID-19 response. Hanna-Attisha also talks about how COVID-19—another preventable health crisis—could be a wake-up call for the rest of the nation to hold leaders accountable, address disparities, and invest in public health.

KEYWORDS: health equity; racial disparity

156 - Friday Q&A: The Dangers COVID-19 Poses to the Heart With Cardiologist Dr. Nisha Gilotra Sep 11, 2020

Show notes

Why would a virus that primarily affect the lungs also cause a heart attack? How do you treat injury to the heart and is recovery expected? Is there evidence that people with asymptomatic COVID cases could still experience injury to the heart and lungs? Should athletes who have had severe COVID seek a cardiac assessment before returning to sports? Hopkins cardiologist and myocarditis expert Dr. Nisha Gilotra talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein and answers questions about COVID-19's impact on the heart.

KEYWORDS: heart attack; cardiomyopathy; cardiac health

155 - How Indoor Ventilation Systems Can Help Prevent or Permit the Spread of COVID-19 Sep 10, 2020

Show notes

Outdoor interactions are safer when it comes to COVID-19, but what can be done to improve ventilation in buildings? Dr. Ana María Rule, a Hopkins ventilation expert, talks with Stephanie Desmon about how ventilation systems can reduce the risk of exposure, whether heating or air conditioning are different, and whether airplane ventilation systems are better or worse than buildings. Dr. Rule also breaks down a case study of a restaurant in China which led to an outbreak of COVID-19 due to poor ventilation.

KEYWORDS: filters; aerosols

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