Over the course of the history of the humanitarian aid sector, thousands of humanitarian aid workers, including public health, medical and crises response experts from the United States and other nations have been deployed for decades developing and sharpening the technical skills needed in health crises. These experiences and skills can provide a framework to help strengthen health systems, risk communication and community engagement strategies, vaccine rollouts, recovery and overall public health funding in the U.S.

Variants put the focus back on prevention. We may end up going through the entire Greek alphabet as more variants continue to emerge. This doesn’t mean we’re starting from square one. We’ve learned an incredible amount of information these past 2 years on the virus that causes COVID-19 to know variants don’t defy the laws of physics and magically circumvent our pandemic prevention toolbox.

Last year’s holiday season occurred during a raging pandemic and no vaccines in our toolbox. This year’s holiday season has two clear advantages: (1) we have safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 and (2) we’re much more attuned to risk reduction measures like the availability of at-home testing, ventilation, and better masks that can make any type of gathering safer.

We have three safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines to help to curb transmission levels and protect people from the worst outcomes of this devastating disease. Yet millions of Americans remain unvaccinated by choice.

Pediatric cases of COVID-19 are continuously rising in the midst of back to school re-openings. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions updated Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K - 12 Schools to keep children safe through a layered prevention strategy is essential for schools to follow and consistently implement.

The U.S. has now entered a new phase of the pandemic – this time a preventable fourth surge fueled by the highly transmissible Delta variant. Here are ways you can reduce your risk.

The Hospital Surge Preparedness and Response Index is an all-hazards template developed by a group of emergency management and disaster medicine experts from the United States.

From the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve been inundated with mis- and disinformation. It has highlighted the critical role of scientific risk communicators and the ability to provide timely, accurate and comprehensible guidance.

The World Health Organization defines risk communication as “the exchange of real-time information, advice and opinions between experts and people facing threats to their health, economic or social well-being. The ultimate purpose of risk communication is to enable people at risk to take informed decisions to protect themselves and their loved ones.”

We propose 3 guiding principles every risk and science communicator should follow – both to provide facts, share evidence and science-based information and to manage rumors, misinformation and disinformation.   

The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. Household transmission of the virus continues to be common and one of the leading causes of new infections.

Syra Madad is a nationally recognized epidemiologist in public health and special pathogens preparedness and response. A Belfer Center Fellow, she directs the Special Pathogens Program at New York City Health + Hospitals. During the pandemic, she has written and spoken widely on health tips for the public and frontline health providers. She has also organized a popular COVID seminar series at the Belfer Center. We asked Syra to tell us about her important work and how she juggles her professional and personal life.