Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health

02/25/2021

Understanding how herd immunity works helps explain why getting vaccinated is not only important for your individual protection against COVID-19, but also helps to protect those around you who are at higher risk. Herd immunity occurs when enough of the population has become immune to a disease that it becomes much harder for that disease to spread from person to person. By reducing disease spread, herd immunity also provides indirect protection to those who are unable to receive the vaccine themselves, such as newborns or immunocompromised individuals. While it is unknown exactly what percentage of people need to be vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity for COVID-19, herd immunity is dependent on the majority of the population getting vaccinated. The more people that receive the vaccine, the more protected everyone is from COVID-19. Learn more about herd immunity and COVID-19 vaccination: https://mayocl.in/3aSkXJ3

02/24/2021

We❤️all of those in the academic and professional public health community who work tirelessly every day to promote the health and well-being of all people. Thank you to all frontline workers and public health professionals for your dedication to uplifting and advocating for public health. As February comes to an end, continue sharing with us all of the reasons why you love public health. #I❤️PublicHealth #ThisIsPublicHealth

02/22/2021

We❤️public health because it addresses the root causes of health issues. Looking at population health and well-being from this perspective reveals many health disparities globally, prompting public health systems to address these inequities from the ground up. #I❤️PublicHealth #ThisIsPublicHealth

02/19/2021

As we head into the weekend, we are very grateful for the many ways that public health works to strengthen our communities and address determinants of health. Why are you grateful for public health? #I❤️PublicHealth #ThisIsPublicHealth

02/18/2021

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, will serve as one of the plenary speakers for our 2021 ASPPH Annual Meeting, being held virtually March 23-25. Dr. Fauci will also be presented with the 2021 ASPPH Welch-Rose Award for Distinguished Public Health Service, to honor his lifetime contributions to the field of public health.

Join academic public health leaders, faculty, staff, students, and partners to advance leadership, excellence, and collaboration for academic public health. Learn more about the Annual Meeting agenda and register: https://www.aspph.org/aspphevents/annual-meeting-2021/

02/18/2021

One of the many reasons why prioritizing public health is so important is because public health is rooted in prevention, which helps to keep communities healthy and avoid overwhelming health care systems. Share with us some of the reasons you love public health! #I❤️PublicHealth #ThisIsPublicHealth

02/17/2021

Vaccination is one of public health’s greatest success stories, and the science behind vaccine safety and efficacy has been well-established for decades. Through the use of vaccines, we have completely eradicated smallpox, nearly eradicated polio, and greatly reduced the rates of other preventable infectious diseases. The first vaccine was developed in 1796 against smallpox, a disease that was successfully eradicated solely through vaccination. Vaccines for various diseases continued to be developed throughout the 1900s, advancing scientific knowledge enough so that large-scale vaccine production was possible and disease control efforts could be escalated. The current recommended immunization schedule is based on decades of demonstrated vaccine success, high-quality scientific research, and the establishment of rigorous safety standards. The public health strides that have been made in dramatically reducing the burden of infectious diseases around the world would not have been possible without the successful development and implementation of vaccines. Putting an end to this pandemic depends upon trusting scientific knowledge and learning lessons from the long successful history of vaccines.

02/15/2021

Public health impacts everyone, meaning we can all contribute to efforts that improve and promote the health of our communities. Make sure to mask up to help protect your health and the health of those around you. #I❤️PublicHealth #ThisIsPublicHealth

02/12/2021

Join ASPPH, in partnership with American Public Health Association and the de Beaumont Foundation, in a special webinar to discuss communication strategies to build confidence and trust in COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccine hesitancy has led to decreased vaccination rates around the world. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared vaccine hesitancy as one of the top 10 threats to public health. This panel of public health leaders will address how to build confidence and trust in COVID-19 vaccines and discuss effective communication strategies, including language that works to improve vaccine acceptance. Register now:
ASPPH.org/event/aspph-presents-webinar-covid-19-vaccines-and-communication-what-works-what-doesnt-and-why

02/11/2021

Researchers have been studying mRNA vaccines for decades, and COVID-19 mRNA vaccines have gone through the same rigorous safety assessment as all other vaccines before being authorized for use. Here's how the COVID-19 vaccine works: it does not contain a dead or weakened form of the virus, unlike most of the other vaccines we're used to. The COVID-19 vaccine uses messenger RNA (mRNA), a molecule that tells the body to make a spike protein that looks just like the outside of the COVID-19 virus. The spike protein that is created does not cause harm in any way, as it is not infectious and it is not a virus. To your body, the spike proteins that are created are recognized as foreign, which prompts your body to create antibodies against the spike protein. These antibodies act as a memory bank for the immune system, so that anything entering your body that looks like that spike protein will be flagged as foreign. This means that if you are actually exposed to the COVID-19 virus, your body will recognize the spike protein on the outside of the virus and initiate a response to destroy it. Because of the way that the COVID-19 vaccine works, you cannot contract COVID-19 from the vaccine and the vaccine does not alter your DNA. Learn more about mRNA vaccines and how they work: https://bit.ly/3d349Ap

02/10/2021

February is #BlackHistoryMonth, dedicated to amplifying and reflecting on Black history, leaders, and achievements. While these past reflections are vital, we must recognize that Black history is cultivated every day and all year long to pave the way for meaningful action and fundamental change. #ASPPHAdvocates

02/08/2021

Overall, today’s public health graduates are successful in finding employment in various sectors and this new workforce may expand public health’s reach and lead to healthier communities. ASPPH recently published the study, “First-Destination Outcomes for 2015-2018 Public Health Graduates: Focus on Employment.” Using ASPPH Annual Data, this first-ever broad-based study of over 53,000 public health graduates from 2015-2018 was conducted to understand the future public health workforce. Swipe to see highlights of the study and learn more: eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-01/cums-tph012521.php #ASPPHAdvocates

02/03/2021

All COVID-19 vaccines that are in development are being carefully evaluated in clinical trials to ensure that they are as safe as possible. The vaccine must meet a rigorous criteria of safety and effectiveness before it can be authorized or approved for use, and the known and potential benefits of a COVID-19 vaccine must outweigh the known and potential risks of the vaccine for use. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccines cannot cause COVID-19 and they do not change or interact with your DNA in any way. Experiencing side effects is very common after getting vaccinated, and side effects are actually an indicator that your body is building up its immune response to defend against the virus. Common side effects include pain and swelling on or around the injection site, as well as fevers, chills, fatigue, and headaches. It’s crucial to note that any potential side effects that you may experience from the COVID-19 vaccine are far safer than the complications and long-term effects of contracting COVID-19. Read more from the CDC about ensuring the safety of COVID-19 vaccines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety.html

02/03/2021

Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health

Can community-based work be done without physically being in the community? Join the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health webinar where the awardees of the 2020 Delta Omega Innovative Curriculum Award, Tyler Derreth (JHU) and Maggie Wear (JHU), will discuss the coursework they designed in which public health students develop and utilize skills in evaluation in partnership with Baltimore community-based organizations. Further, they will explore the innovative instructional framework employed in this course - Critical Online Service-learning (COSL). Learn more and register: ASPPH.org/event/aspph-presents-webinar-delta-omega-2020-innovative-curriculum-award-implementing-community-based-practice-through-civic-engagement-projects

02/02/2021

ASPPH joins leading public health, environmental health, patient advocacy, healthcare, nursing, and medical organizations to declare #climatechange a health emergency. Health impacts from climate change include a long list of diseases and illnesses that are exacerbated by climate change, and addressing these negative health impacts requires immediate and long-term action. Continue to do your part to take action to #combatclimatechange. Share to your story and read the full declaration: https://bit.ly/36ABoaf

02/01/2021

Today marks the beginning of I ❤️ Public Health Month! #Publichealth is essential for improving and promoting the health of individuals, communities, and populations around the world. This year in particular has been a testament to the importance of investing in public health. We have seen how public health is beneficial for so many aspects of our everyday lives, and we want to express our appreciation for all of those who work to ensure the success of public health efforts. We will continue to elevate public health and support its endeavors and we hope to move into the years ahead with the same momentum gathered for prioritizing public health throughout 2020. Every day we recognize all that public health does for our well-being, but we will be giving special attention to public health's incredible accomplishments throughout the month of February. Comment below and share with us why you ❤️ public health. #ThisIsPublicHealth

01/28/2021

We must work together to reduce the negative impacts of climate change in order to improve human health and secure the future of our planet. While individual actions to live more sustainably are certainly important, we must ensure that the conversation around the global climate crisis remains focused on implementing large-scale, systematic legislative changes. As part of our commitment to this public health issue, ASPPH joined a dozen organizations in releasing a Declaration on Climate Change and Health. This statement asserts that climate change is a health emergency and calls for immediate action to protect the public’s health from its current and future impacts. Without urgent action to #CombatClimateChange, health problems will increase globally and the security of our everyday lives will be threatened. This is not an issue that can be dealt with down the road. Climate change impacts us every day, and the longer we wait to take action, the more difficult it will become to repair the damage that’s been done. In order to start addressing this issue, it is essential that everyone help raise awareness around this crisis and advocate for the environment and public health. Comment below and tell us what you do to help protect the environment, and anything else you want to add to the ongoing conversation around climate change.

01/26/2021

We are excited to announce that Stacey Abrams, political leader and voting rights activist, will be the closing plenary speaker for the 2021 #ASPPHAnnualMeeting, taking place virtually March 23-25. Abrams founded Fair Fight Action, an organization that addresses voter suppression. In addition, she is a New York Times bestselling author. Learn more about our Annual Meeting: ASPPH.org/aspphevents/annual-meeting-2021 #ASPPHEvents #ASPPHAdvocates

01/26/2021

Vaccination is essential for putting an end to this pandemic. Now that #COVID19 vaccines are being developed and distributed, it is important to understand why getting vaccinated is so important. The vaccines that are slowly becoming available in the US have been shown to be around 95% effective at preventing COVID-19, a virus that can have serious and life-threatening complications. There is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you, and it can easily be spread to family, friends, and others around you. Although contracting the virus may provide some level of natural immunity, it is not well known how long this protection may last. Getting the vaccine is a much safer way to build protection against COVID-19, as the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 far outweighs any benefits of natural immunity. COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you by creating a more robust immune response without having to get sick. While wearing masks and social distancing help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others, getting vaccinated (in addition to these measures) prepares your immune system to fight off the virus if you are exposed. Read about the benefits of getting vaccinated from the CDC: https://bit.ly/3pjI3gs

01/25/2021

Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health

Join the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health to spotlight the honorees of the Delta Omega 2020 Innovative Curriculum Award. Learn how these awardees bridge the gap between public health academia and practice and stimulate the evolution of innovative graduate public health courses that are responsive to the educational needs of the public health work force. Learn more and register for the webinar: https://www.aspph.org/event/aspph-presents-webinar-delta-omega-2020-innovative-curriculum-honorees-present-incarceration-and-public-health-and-gillings-mph-core/

01/22/2021

Registration is now open for the 2021 ASPPH Annual Meeting! We have a lineup of distinguished plenary speakers with critical roles in responding to the cascading public health crises of our time. Visit our website to register for the virtual event: ASPPH.org/aspphevents/annual-meeting-2021

01/21/2021

On his first day in office, President Biden took actions that will greatly benefit the future of public health. Highlights include; the US rejoining the World Health Organization (WHO), an essential global partnership for coordinating with other countries to combat the public health crises of our era in an increasingly interconnected world. The US will also recommit to the Paris Climate Accord in an effort to address climate change as one of the world’s most pressing public health threats. Biden took action against inequality and racism as public health crises by extending moratoriums on evictions and student-loan payments, ordering federal agencies to root out racially unequal policies, and seeking to undo the Trump Administration’s anti-immigration policies. These efforts speak to a re-established commitment to advancing public health globally. Swipe right to see a handful of actions taken, although this is not a comprehensive list, these efforts will make a huge impact on #publichealth. #ASPPHAdvocates

01/21/2021

The negative impact of climate change on different communities is exacerbated by environmental racism, which refers to the disproportionate placement of environmental hazards within and around low-income areas and communities of color. Race is the single biggest factor that determines where a hazardous waste facility is located, and communities of color have higher rates of exposure to air pollution than their white counterparts. Environmental racism marginalizes these populations by creating conditions of uneven exposure to toxic waste and environmental pollutants that lead to negative health outcomes, and climate change contributes to these existing inequalities. The vulnerable communities that are already facing a disproportionate environmental burden will be harmed the most by worsening climate conditions, and public health infrastructure and response efforts in these areas are often weaker than in high-income areas. Learn more about environmental racism and climate change: https://www.climateaction.org/news/racial-justice-and-climate-change-exposure
#CombatClimateChange #ThisIsPublicHealth