The Hidden Pandemic behind the Coronavirus
Sarah Javaid and Kathleen Lindsey
Sarah Javaid and Kathleen Lindsey take a look at some of the positive and negative impacts on the environment that have happened due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Environmental Health
Infant Mortality among Black Babies
Utibe Effiong, MPH ’14, Ekemini Hogan, and Obasi Okorie
It’s a painful statistical fact that Black babies die at higher rates than White babies—a fact all the more painful and tragic for those living with the realities of infant mortality. The difference in death rates is shared by developing and developed nations alike. But the trend can and must change.
Do Africans Want Genetically Modified Mosquitoes?
Utibe Effiong, MPH ’14
Genetically modifying mosquitoes to control infectious disease is not a new idea. But all consequences—the good and the bad—of such an intervention must be adequately vetted. And importantly, argues physician and alum Utibe Effiong, local communities should have a say in the process.
Pregnancy in Puerto Rico: Protecting the Health of Women and Children by Reducing Metal Exposures
Pahriya Ashrap
During gestation, the human body grows at tremendous speeds, and even slight changes to a child’s biology during this sensitive time can dramatically alter health outcomes. Recent studies in Puerto Rico and elsewhere provide further support for the need to address even low levels of lead exposure for all pregnant women.
The Worst Disease You've Never Heard Of: Caring for Children with Epidermolysis Bullosa
Bailey Brown, BS ’20
Children with epidermolysis bullosa are often called butterfly children—their skin seems to be as fragile as a butterfly’s wing. While there is no cure for EB, ongoing clinical trials have developed treatments to manage symptoms. Public health clinicians can help patients and their families build support networks by connecting them to local support groups and other families caring for children with EB.
Opening Up US Will Trigger More COVID-19 Cases, but Disease Models Suggest How to Avoid a Second Peak
Joseph Eisenberg
As states open up, more coronavirus spread is expected, and models can show whether public health measures are working. Models are more like compasses than crystal balls, says epidemiologist Joseph Eisenberg, and current models from epidemiologists suggest that we must make changes slowly and relax social distancing measures incrementally during the coming months.