College campuses reopen as the Delta variant spreads. Experts say that can put students of color at risk, Dr. Alyssa Lederer, assistant professor at Tulane's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and lead author of "More than Inconvenienced: The Unique Needs of College Students during the Covid-19 Pandemic," told Insider that students have not merely been inconvenienced by the public health crisis; they've been dealing with issues like food and housing insecurity, loneliness, and grief. Insider, August 31, 2021.
Coverdell Fellow at Tulane University helps combat COVID-19, Christopher Taylor, a master's student studying epidemiology at the School of Public Health and Tropical medicine, explains the work of the Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) in Atlanta. Peace Corps, August 18, 2021.
Overwhelmed by Coronavirus, Cuba’s Vaunted Health System Is Reeling, Dr. Arachu Castro, Samuel Z. Stone Endowed Chair of Public Health in Latin America, studying Cuba’s response to Covid-19, said the country had one of the best coronavirus responses in Latin America in the early stages of the pandemic. But the situation shifted sharply after November when tourists were allowed back into the country. The New York Times, August 17, 2021.
NHL players must get vaccinated or risk pay loss, Thomas LaVeist, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine dean, hopes for more celebrities to use their platforms to promote vaccination. Edmonton Journal, August 16, 2021.
As US battles delta variant, tens of thousands of vaccine doses are set to expire, Susan Hassig, an epidemiologist at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, says it's frustrating that vaccine doses are about to expire in the US when other people in other countries don't have the same access to the vaccines. ABC News, August 12, 2021.
Is it okay to ask if someone is vaccinated? Susan Hassig, an epidemiologist at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, explains that certain contexts are reasonable for asking about vaccination status. 4WWL, August 11, 2021.
Could touching gas pumps be the cause of spreading COVID-19? The Verify Team finds that false. Susan Hassig, an epidemiologist at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, explains that COVID-19 transmission is airborne and therefore transmitted through breathing in particles from other people, and has less to do with touching things other people have touched, WFMY News 2, August 10, 2021.
The Deep Divide: Why coronavirus kills an outsized share of young Black Louisianans, Health-equity expert and dean of the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Dr. Thomas LaVeist, discusses how Black workers are more likely to have frontline jobs that expose them to the COVID-19 virus. Nola.com, August 1, 2021.
Link between cases and deaths greatly weakened in delta surge, Susan Hassig, an epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, says that individuals in older age groups who would have been more vulnerable to deadly COVID-19 cases are mostly vaccinated now. Washington Examiner, August 1, 2021.
Delta variant poses high risks for the unvaccinated, Susan Hassig, an epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discusses the potential reasons for the recent spike in Covid-19 hospitalizations for children under 17. Washington Examiner, July 22, 2021.
Unvaccinated could be breeding ground for Covid variants, US officials fear, Susan Hassig, an epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, comments on the additional opportunities for the Covid-19 virus to mutate and form a new variant while spreading among unvaccinated individuals. The Guardian, July 17, 2021.
Here’s what’s going on with Tarrant County’s COVID-19 vaccine numbers, Susan Hassig, an epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discusses the need for communities to collect local vaccine data to determine the most effective outreach strategies. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, July 16, 2021.
A 'statewide outbreak' in Louisiana: COVID cases soar as vaccination rates stall, Susan Hassig, an epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discusses the high transmissibility of the delta variant and the concern for parts of Louisiana that have not taken mitigation efforts. The Advocate, July 14, 2021.
One of the riskiest regions for a COVID outbreak in America includes 29 Louisiana parishes, Charles Stoecker, a health policy and management professor, and Susan Hassig, an epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discuss the differences in Covid-19 response based on location and the concern for new variants to appear as the spread continues. Nola.com, July 9, 2021.
U.S. Officials Say 50% of American Adults Are Now Fully Vaccinated, Thomas LaVeist, Dean and Weatherhead Presidential Chair in Health Equity for the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, comments on the concern about a new variant outsmarting the Covid-19 vaccines. The Jewish Voice, June, 2021.
Life after the 1918 flu has lessons for our post-pandemic world, John Barry, distinguished scholar at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discusses how life after the 1918 flu has lessons for our post-pandemic world. CNN, June 28, 2021.
US fight against Covid threatened by growing vaccine gap in the south, Susan Hassig, an epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, comments on the lower COVID-19 vaccination rates in southern states in comparison to the rest of the country. The Guardian, June 27, 2021.
The future of COVID-19: What can we expect over the next six months? Charles Stoecker, a health policy and management professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discusses the differences between cities that have higher vaccination rates and areas that have much lower rates. The Denver Channel, June 24, 2021.
High Hopes for Johnson & Johnson’s Covid Vaccine Have Fizzled in the U.S., Andrew Anderson, a health policy and management professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discusses the trend for people to get Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead of Johnson & Johnson because they have been available longer. New York Times, June 18, 2021.
Governor announces $2.3 million in vaccine incentives beginning next month, Susan Hassig, an epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discusses incentives for encouraging vaccination and the importance of timing those incentives effectively. The Lens, June 17, 2021.
What it means when sports stars stay coy about their COVID-19 vaccine status, Thomas LaVeist, Dean and Weatherhead Presidential Chair in Health Equity for the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discusses hope for celebrities to share vaccination status and use their platforms to encourage people to get vaccinated. USA Today, June 16, 2021.
COVAX Effort to Vaccinate the World Is Faltering, Valerie Paz-Soldan, Director of Tulane Health Offices for Latin America, comments on the lack of trust among people in Peru after a political scandal involving vaccines that were intended for clinical trials. Scientific American, June 16, 2021.
The Jab: Why was Latin America hit so hard? Valerie Paz-Soldan, Director of Tulane Health Offices for Latin America, discusses why Peru has the highest per-capita Covid-19 death rate. The Economist, June 15, 2021.
What to expect from states with low vaccination rates in a summer COVID-19 surge, Susan Hassig, an epidemiology professor at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discusses one reason the South could experience a Covid-19 surge this summer is that its vaccination rates tend to be lower than other states, Yahoo! News, June 10, 2021.
Biden’s 70% July 4 vaccination goal still within reach, expert believes, Susan Hassig, epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, comments on the likelihood of reaching President Biden’s goal of having 70 percent of adults at least partially vaccinated by July 4. The Washington Examiner, June 8, 2021.
CNN Transcript, Distinguished Scholar John Barry of the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine comments on whether the worst of the pandemic is over in this country, CNN, May 31, 2021.
US moves toward coronavirus herd immunity, Susan Hassig, epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, says some states in the Northeast are close to herd immunity, Washington Examiner, May 28, 2021.
What the science says about lifting mask mandates, Susan Hassig, epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, says it is rare that a public health intervention, such as wearing a mask, is widely accepted without some type of enforcement mechanism, Nature, May 25, 2021.
CDC has confirmed another 5 cases of ‘Brazilian variant’ in Louisiana, Susan Hassig, epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, says she is not sure if local policymakers would use more detailed data on variant COVID-19 cases to make decisions, but thinks they should, Lens, May 4, 2021.
COVID risk outdoors is low, indoors much higher, Chad Roy, director of infectious disease aerobiology at the Tulane National Primate Research Center and alumus of the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discusses what settings are considered high and low risks for contracting COVID-19. WWLTV, April 28, 2021.
New COVID-19 cases plummet at Louisiana’s nursing homes, Susan Hassig, epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, says that COVID-19 cases reported in nursing homes have substantially decreased since many of the homes’ residents have been vaccinated, and it is an indication that that community is reaching herd immunity. AP News, April 26, 2021.
Cancellation of Care Came Mostly From Patient Side Early in Pandemic, Kevin Callison, assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, co-authored a study that suggests the decline in non-COVID-19 medical care last spring can mostly be attributed to patients’ decisions to avoid healthcare settings where they might contract COVID-19. Medscape, April 26, 2021.
A million COVID shots are sitting on shelves as Louisiana slips in vaccination rankings, Charles Stoecker, health economist at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, says a large demographic group in Louisiana that is more hesitant to get a COVID-19 vaccine is White residents in rural areas, which is a substantial population in Louisiana compared to other states. Nola.com, April 25, 2021.
State record-keeping on vaccinations leads to patchwork approach, Susan Hassig, epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, said Louisiana connected healthcare providers with its immunization registry program to keep track of who has been vaccinated. The Hill, April 13, 2021.
Louisiana colleges split over requiring COVID-19 vaccine for fall semester, Patrick Norton, senior vice president and chief operating officer, says the university is strongly recommending the Tulane community get a COVID-19 vaccine, and some Tulane students share why they got theirs. WWLTV, April 12, 2021.
In Louisiana, young people can get a COVID vaccine. But does everyone want it? Susan Hassig, epidemiology professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, says one of the biggest challenges the state is seeing in getting younger people vaccinated is that this age doesn’t perceive themselves at high risk for getting COVID-19, Nola.com, April 10, 2021.
CDC says racism is a ‘threat to public’s health,’ School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Dean Thomas LaVeist discusses the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledging racism as a threat to the public’s health, Fox News, April 9, 2021.
Injustice in Health: Mistrust comes from untrustworthy behavior, Research by Thomas LaVeist, dean of the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, reveals that mistrust in the medical system among African Americans is high, Milwaukee Independent, April 9, 2021.
City-run walk-up testing helped achieve COVID testing equity goals, study finds, Julie Hernandez, associate professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discusses a study she led that found walk-up COVID-19 testing sites significantly increased testing in low-income and minority neighborhoods, Nola.com, April 8, 2021.
New COVID wave may not be as deadly, Susan Hassig, an epidemiologist at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, says that impatience with following COVID-19 protocols among some people could be a factor in the next wave of #COVID19 cases in the U.S. Washington Examiner, March 31, 2021.
Congress grills Big Tech CEOs on vaccine misinformation, Susan Hassig, epidemiologist at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, says attention on rare cases of side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine and misinformation about them have cut into the bigger picture of vaccine progress. WWLTV, March 25, 2021.
How NBA fandom has changed due to COVID-19, Susan Hassig, epidemiologist at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, says virus particles can hang around in the air when in enclosed arenas. Yahoo! News, March 18, 2021.
Opinion: Abandoning masks now is a terrible idea. The 1918 pandemic shows why. John Barry, distinguished scholar at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, writes an opinion piece on how abandoning masks and social distancing would be “the worst possible move” for the country and points to the 1918 influenza pandemic as a reference. The Washington Post, March 12, 2021.
America’s Next COVID Obstacle: Vaccine Deserts, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Dean Thomas LaVeist, who is also co-chair of Louisiana’s COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, says the task force is finding creative ways to utilize other sites such as schools, community centers and churches to distribute the vaccines in underserved communities. New York Magazine, March 11, 2021.
How Chile built one of the world’s most successful vaccination campaigns, Arachu Castro, the Samuel Z. Stone Endowed Chair of Public Health in Latin America at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, explains that Chile decided to not align the country geopolitically when it came to pre-purchasing COVID-19 vaccine doses from several companies. Vox, March 10, 2021.
COVID clobbers US birthrate with big impacts to come, Dr. Mark VanLandingham, director for the Center for Studies of Displaced Populations at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discusses how Covid-19 has clobbered the US birthrate. WWL Radio, March 5, 2021.
State-by-state mask mandates send mixed messages as vaccination efforts ramp up, Susan Hassig, epidemiologist at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, says state messaging on COVID-19 can and will likely differ from federal messaging due to the particular state’s focus on the pandemic’s impact within its area. WWLTV, March 4, 2021.
3 things may make you a COVID-19 ‘super-spreader,’ Chad Roy, director of infectious disease aerobiology at the Tulane University National Primate Research Center, corresponding author of the paper, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and alumnus of Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine discusses. Futurity, February 11, 2021.
New COVID study offers free coronavirus tests, amazon gift cards, Patricia Kissinger, infectious disease epidemiologist at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, discusses a COMPASS study that seeks to find the prevalence of COVID-19 infections – past and present – in the community.
WWLTV, February 8, 2021.
60 Black Health Experts Urge Black Americans to Get Vaccinated, Thomas LaVeist, the dean of the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and health care equity researcher a Tulane University, is one of 60 Black American members of the National Academy of Medicine who authored a The New York Times opinion piece encouraging all Black Americans to claim in their place in line to get vaccinated. The New York Times, February 7, 2021.
AP Analysis: Racial disparity seen in US vaccination drive, Thomas LaVeist, dean of the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, is recruiting notable Black Americans to address mistrust of the COVID-19 vaccine among the Black community through his campaign “The Skin You’re In.” AP News, January 30, 2021.
How COVID-19 hollowed out a generation of young Black men, Dean Thomas LaVeist of the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine explains that people deal with stress by using strategies that make them feel better. MLK 50, January 28, 2021.
Opinion: The coronavirus is mutating. Will our vaccines keep up? John Barry, a distinguished scholar at Tulane University, pens an opinion piece on if our vaccines will be able to keep up with the mutating coronavirus. The Washington Post, January 27, 2021.
Fighting Misinformation: How Doctors Respond to Vaccine Hesitancy, Charles Stoecker, associate professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, comments on how trusted figures and celebrities who receive the COVID-19 vaccine can be useful in encouraging others to get the vaccine. Courthouse News Service, January 22, 2021.
Herd immunity is the key to getting festivals back, Charles Stoecker, associate professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, explained how herd immunity benefits a community and how it may help New Orleans get back to festing. Nola.com, January 18, 2021.
Report: COVID-19 in communities of color could cost Texas $2.7 billion in excess medical spending, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Dean Thomas LaVeist comments on a study he co-authored that found that disparities in health and access to health care in Texas’ Black and Latino communities could cost the state up to $2.7 billion annually in excess medical spending. Houston Chronicle, January 12, 2021.
After slow public rollout, officials describe path — and obstacles — to mass vaccinations, Richard Oberhelman, the associate dean for Global Health, is mentioned in this article for soliciting volunteers from Tulane public health and tropical medicine students and faculty to assist the city of New Orleans Health Department with a vaccination program. While Susan Hassig, a professor of epidemiology who has advised the state’s vaccine plan, said that the lack of a centralized signup tool wasn’t especially surprising, given the resources that would go into making such a tool, and the lack of federal support. The Lens, January 7, 2021.
Where Is It Safe To Reopen Schools? New Research Offers Answers, Here is the new report on impact of school re-openings on COVID-19 by Tulane University School of Liberal Arts economists Douglas N. Harris and Engy Ziedan, joined by Susan Hassig of Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. NPR, January 7, 2021.
Battling the Infodemic: LJ's 2021 Librarians of the Year, Librarian Elaine R. Hicks of Tulane University’s Rudolph Matas Library was named one of three Librarians of the Year by Library Journal (LJ) for her work helping the World Health Organization manage the flood of COVID-19 information by founding the Librarian Reserve Corps. The Library Journal, January 5, 2021.
Nevada County introduces Dr. Scott Kellermann as Public Health Officer, Dr. Kellermann received his medical degree from Tulane University with a Master’s in Public Health and Master’s in Tropical Medicine. He will now engage in public health in Nevada County, particularly with an immunization campaign to end the current COVID-19 pandemic. The Union, January 1, 2021.
