46: Public Health in 2020: The Year That Was

In medical schools and public health programs across the country, 2020 will be worth its own textbook chapter in the years to come. But today we're still in the thick of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, though there is light at the end of the tunnel with the end of the year and an impending vaccine. On this episode, we ask public health experts to zoom out a bit and reflect on a truly remarkable year. These public health leaders discuss the politicization of public health mitigation efforts, becoming the target of hateful attacks, and being at the forefront of the biggest health crisis in a century. Our experts also reflect on what they hope people have learned about our public health infrastructure and lessons learned for future disease outbreaks.  Guests: Rachel Levine, MD, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Health, and President, ASTHO Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, President and CEO, Resolve to Save Lives, and former Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009-2017 Resources: COVID-19 resource page (ASTHO) COVID-19: Simple Answers to Top Questions (ASTHO) About Resolve to Save Lives