Public Health On Call

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299 - Baltimore's Mobile Vaccination Teams: Meeting People Where They Are Apr 20, 2021

Show notes

Across the country, COVID case rates are going up and public health officials are racing to get vaccines in arms. Dr. Letitia Dzirasa, Baltimore City's Health Commissioner, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the unique ways the city is trying to reach those at highest risk including mobile vaccination teams. They also talk about this critical point in the pandemic, how vaccine questions are not limited to one specific racial or minority group, and the importance not only of reliable public health messaging but of creating equitable access points to reduce barriers to getting vaccinated.

KEYWORDS: vaccine distribution; health communication

298 - Why The US Needs a Marshall Plan for Vaccines With Congressman Jake Auchincloss Apr 19, 2021

Show notes

The race between vaccines and variants has to be won globally, but at the current rate, much of the world won't reach herd immunity until 2023. Congressman Jake Auchincloss from Massachusetts talks with Stephanie Desmon about the immediate need to address manufacturing bandwidth and the opportunity for the US to lead production. They also discuss the US's obligation to maintain a healthy and thriving economy by investing in global public health infrastructure, and how this could help restore the US's image as a moral leader in times of crisis. You can read Auchincloss's CNN op-ed here: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/29/opinions/marshall-plan-for-global-vaccinations-auchincloss/index.html. Please note: This conversation was recorded on April 5.

KEYWORDS: vaccine distribution; viral mutation; supply chain

BONUS - Pressing Pause on the Johnson and Johnson Vaccine Apr 16, 2021

Show notes

This week, the FDA paused the use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine because of reports of six women under 50 who developed a rare form of blood clots called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Today, Stephanie Desmon talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what this means for vaccine rollouts, vaccine hesitancy, and what might happen next. This bonus episode has been lifted from yesterday's Facebook live which can be seen at www.facebook.com/JohnsHopkinsSPH/.

297 - The Arithmetic of Compassion: How Psychology and Literature Help Explain the Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Apr 16, 2021

Show notes

There are psychological and cognitive obstacles to compassion, especially against an invisible virus. Dr. Paul Slovic, a psychology professor at the University of Oregon, and his son Dr. Scott Slovic, a literature professor at the University of Idaho talk with guest host Dr. Colleen Barry about the psychic numbing that occurs when considering large-scale crisis like genocide, climate change, and COVID-19. They also discuss pandemic literature and what it's like to work together as father and son from two seemingly different disciplines.

KEYWORDS: risk perception; policy; community mental health

296 - Making Safe Decisions During the Race of "Infections vs Injections" Apr 15, 2021

Show notes

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

295 - The Impact of COVID-19 on Refugees and People in Conflict Zones Apr 14, 2021

Show notes

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

294 - Dr. Michael Osterholm on the Race Between COVID-19 Variants and Vaccines, How the Pandemic Looks Different than a Year Ago and How Children are More at Risk Now Apr 13, 2021

Show notes

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

293 - Female Sex Workers and the Police Apr 12, 2021

Show notes

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

292 - National Public Health Week Finale: Georges Benjamin on Mending the Broken System Post-COVID-19 Apr 09, 2021

Show notes

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

291- We Stand With Public Health Part 4: Solutions Apr 08, 2021

Show notes

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

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