Public Health On Call Johns Hopkins University

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

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 need to address manufacturing bandwidth and the opportunity for the US to lead production. 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. This conversation was recorded on April 5.

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/.

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.

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.

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.