Public Health On Call

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475 - COVID-19 Vaccines For Kids 5 and Under Jun 01, 2022

Show notes

Many parents of kids ages 5 and under have been anxiously awaiting FDA authorization for vaccines for the youngest age group. Dr. Ruth Karron, one of the world's leading experts in the development of children's vaccines, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about why it's taken so long to authorize vaccines for young children, the evidence behind the safety and efficacy of vaccinating this age group, and what's likely to happen in the next few weeks.

474 - What We Know—and Don't Yet Know—About the Leaked Supreme Court Draft Opinion That Could Overturn Roe v. Wade May 27, 2022

Show notes

For the first time in history, a working draft of an opinion by justices of the Supreme Court was leaked to the media and the public. Legal and public health expert Joanne Rosen talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what the opinion expressly says, why it would upend precedent, and what may happen at the state level. They also discuss the immediate and long-term consequences if it's passed, including for public health.

Bonus - The Massacre in Uvalde, Texas May 25, 2022

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Dr. Cass Crifasi, director of research and policy at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the deadly misperception that there's nothing to be done about gun violence. They discuss what could have prevented this senseless tragedy—and what must be done to prevent further loss of life.

473 - Police Legitimacy and Reform Two Years after George Floyd's Murder May 25, 2022

Show notes

In June 2020, amid #BlackLivesMatter protests across the country, law professor and philosopher Ekow Yankah of Yeshiva University talked with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the crisis of legitimacy in policing and opportunities for reform based on public health approaches. Two years later, Yankah returns to the podcast to discuss how and why the optimism of the protests has receded.

BONUS - Where We Are in the Pandemic: A Check-In with Epidemiologist Dr. David Dowdy May 24, 2022

Show notes

1 in 3 Americans believes the pandemic is over, but waves of illness and hospitalizations continue to cause signifiant disruption and death. Dr. David Dowdy returns to the podcast to talk with Lindsay Smith Rogers about how COVID-19 is impacting both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, why there were so many deaths of vaccinated people from omicron (hints: sheer numbers and outsize impacts on older and immunocompromised individuals), and a look at where we are now and what we can expect in the coming months.

BONUS - What You Need to Know About Monkeypox May 23, 2022

Show notes

As the world watches reported outbreaks of monkeypox, researchers are trying to learn more about how and why the virus is spreading. Dr. Eric Toner, an expert in bioterrorism and emerging infectious diseases at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about what monkeypox is and where it comes from, how it spreads, treatments and prevention, and why these outbreaks are important to know about but not necessarily cause for alarm.

472 - Learning from 1 Million COVID Deaths and Preparing for "The Contagion Next Time" May 23, 2022

Show notes

Dr. Sandro Galea, dean of the Boston University School of Public Health and author of the book "The Contagion Next Time" talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about why the US was a "sitting duck" at the onset of the pandemic. They also discuss what needs to change in public health—and society—to be better prepared for day-to-day challenges and the next emergency.

EP 471 - A Talk With a Public Health Graduate: Caitlin Ceryes, Class of 2022 May 20, 2022

Show notes

This week, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is holding its spring graduation ceremonies. Today, Caitlin Ceryes, a soon-to-be PhD in Environmental Health and Engineering, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what led her to a career in public health, her diverse research ranging from soda taxes to sustainable aquaculture, and how the pandemic caused her to pivot her dissertation work to focus on COVID-19 occupational hazards for essential food workers.

470 - President Biden's Strategy to Address the National Mental Health Crisis May 18, 2022

Show notes

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness month, Christen Linke Young, the deputy assistant to President Biden for Health and Veteran's Affairs, talks with Josh Sharfstein about the mental health component of the President's Unity Agenda. The ambitious plan aims to build the mental health workforce, make mental health care much more accessible, and invest in resilience to prevent mental health disorders. You can read about the President's mental health agenda here.

469 - The Mental Health Crisis Among American Youths May 16, 2022

Show notes

During the pandemic, the US Surgeon General declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health—a recognition of a crisis long in the making. Psychologist and researcher Tamar Mendelson, talks with Josh Sharfstein about what young people are experiencing, who is most affected, and what can be done to help young people thrive.

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