Public Health Threats
The world faces a host of public health threats this year including Avian flu, Norovirus, Human metapneumovirus, Oropouche, and the continued threat of Covid-19. Alongside the lower vaccination rates in the U.S. this year, Americans are witnessing a corresponding spike in illnesses such as whooping cough.
At a January 10th Ethnic Media Services briefing, a distinguished panel of experts provided in-depth analyses of these diseases and whether the U.S. is sufficiently equipped to manage outbreaks. They also expressed concern about how vaccine disinformation, misinformation, and climate change could impact the spread of infectious diseases.
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Climate Change & Influenza
Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, founding director of the Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases at Boston University expressed concern about climate change and its impact on the spread of infectious diseases, including secondary impacts on medical supplies and antibiotic use. “I’m actually concerned about just climate change overall, and the impact that that’s going to have on the spread of infectious diseases, on lack of predictability about where they show up, what they are, and how much more they may manifest than they did before.”
“If I had to choose one organism, I think influenza,” said Dr. Peter Chin Hong, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. He identified influenza as a major concern, mentioning both bird flu and human influenza, and emphasized the need for mpox vaccination, particularly for high-risk groups. Dr. Chin Hong was concerned that “the sort of anti-science movement will make people not take advantage of all the tools that we have now.”
Vaccine Hesitancy
“I’ll stick with under vaccination as a threat,” said Dr. Benjamin Newman, Professor of Biology at Texas A&M University. He highlighted reduced vaccination rates as a significant threat, and warned about the potential lifting of herd immunity and potential outbreaks of diseases like measles if vaccines that are not compulsory were to be taken at a much lower level by adults. “We may see some of the safety net of herd immunity that has been protecting us since the mid-1900s lifted, and who knows what that will bring,” he said. Modifying or lessening required vaccinations for school children would lift “the last bit of the security blanket in place” he added.
His concerns about climate change and vaccine hesitancy were echoed by Dr. William Schaffner, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, who was also concerned about the current rise of influenza, COVID-19, and RSV. “Our emergency rooms and hospitals are full of people now experiencing influenza,…COVID is on the rise…RSV is also starting to stick its nose up. So we have plenty of respiratory viral infections that are affecting our population right at the moment.”
Indoor gatherings and travel during the holiday season accelerate the spread of respiratory viruses, added Dr. Scaheffner, noting that children in school contribute to the spread of influenza, which then affects their families and neighbors.
Global Health InSecurity
The U.S. could be ill-equipped to handle public health challenges from abroad if it geopolitically isolates itself warned Dr. Bhadelia, who served on the White House COVID Response Team. As the U.S. prepares to withdraw from the World Health Organization, Dr. Bhadelia emphasized that the global health security infrastructure was at risk.
“The U.S. has played an incredible role in creating global health security,” reminded Dr. Bhadelia, by helping countries build and support their health systems. Collaboration with global partnerships enabled early detection and response to new threats, while saving lives on a global scale. Through programs like PEPFAR from the CDC, global disease detective programs helped increase technical knowledge, ensured the distribution of diagnostics, and served as a resource for pandemic preparedness.
Withdrawing from global health security partnerships was risky reiterated Dr. Bhadelia. “We will be in the back of the line in learning about new threats, and potentially we will lose the trust of our partners to take timely actions.”
Reduced investment in infectious diseases imperiled America’s global standing added Dr. Bhadelia. “If we take our foot off the pedal, we are doing so at our own peril, and we’re not being prepared, and we’re going to see America’s competitiveness, as well as its membership in the global community, suffer from that!”
Photo by Anna Shvets: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-with-a-face-mask-and-latex-gloves-holding-a-globe-4167542/