557: Pharmacists Give RSV Vaccine Without Prescription, PH Needs to Boost Strategic Skillset

ROBERT JOHNSON: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Tuesday, December 5, 2023. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

JAMES MCDONALD: 

We wanted to make it easy for people to get the RSV vaccine in pharmacies.

JOHNSON: 

New York pharmacists now are allowed to administer RSV vaccines to older adults and pregnant people without a prescription. New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Jim McDonald gave the okay.

MCDONALD: 

What I was hearing from pharmacies were they were having a hard time getting a physician or medical director to sign the order. It's a new vaccine, perfectly understandable, you know, so we just use the authority of the commissioner. So, anybody who is eligible can go into any pharmacy across New York and get the RSV vaccine without having to go to their doctor to get that.

JOHNSON: 

McDonald says people are visiting pharmacies to get the shot.

MCDONALD: 

So far, it's been popular. Pharmacies are using it and we are seeing people get the vaccine. Not just people 60 and older, but we recently amended our order last week. So, anyone who's pregnant, can get the vaccine as well.

JOHNSON: 

The standing order allows convenient vaccine access for New York's most vulnerable populations.

MCDONALD: 

We did the amendment to the standing order to include the pregnant group, because we heard from some of the pharmacists that hey, the FDA gave us this additional indication, we're still having a problem finding it so can you change your order? We did.

JOHNSON: 

You can read about the RSV vaccine standing order by clicking the link in the show notes.

Public health professionals can learn strategic skills in a new book edited by ASTHO CEO Mike Fraser, and de Beaumont Foundation President and CEO, Dr. Brian Castrucci.

CASTRUCCI: 

We get so much of our thinking about public health, from our science, and how many papers did you publish? How many analyses did you do? What theory are you using to make that behavior change? When we really need to think about how are we effective and its business skills, right? It's how do you sell?

JOHNSON: 

Castrucci says the book titled building strategic skills for better health is meant to help readers get more done.

CASTRUCCI: 

We've all kind of gotten to these points and saying, yeah, I have this master's degree, right? I have this training, and why aren't I getting the outcomes that I want? Sometimes it's those complementary skills that we really need to have, and what this book does is really outlines those skills and it lets people know what they need to be better professionals and more effective public health practitioners, because that's what we want to do.

JOHNSON: 

He says the book, with articles written by many public health experts, is a must read for every new or current professional.

CASTRUCCI: 

I want people to read this book. I want people to give it to every public health grad in this coming graduation cycle. I want us to talk about strategic skills everywhere that we're going. We need to have training that supports the development of our workforce. We're not going to get different outcomes with the same processes.

JOHNSON: 

You can order your copy of the book using the link in the show notes.

Also, today, you have a week left to sign up for a webinar where you can learn how to improve access to emergency contraception. O'Keyla Cooper has more.

O'KEYLA COOPER: 

Join the Contraception Access Learning Communities webinar on provider strategies to improve access to emergency contraception on December 13, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. ET. This session will provide an overview of emergency contraception provision in the U.S., present new clinical research on alternative options, and discuss innovative strategies for improving access. Register now through the link in the show notes.

JOHNSON: 

Finally, this morning, ASTHO produces several email newsletters to keep you informed about everything happening in public health. You can check them out and sign up using the link in the show notes.

Before we go, we'd like to remind you to follow this newscast on your podcast player and asked her on social media. We're on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. That'll do it for today.

We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Robert Johnson. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.