Sign Up for Public Health Weekly Newsletter
Dr. Michelle Mello, professor of law at Stanford Law School and professor of health policy at Stanford University School of Medicine, studied state lawmakers’ response to the use of public health authority during the pandemic; Dr. Tao Sheng...
Dr. Michelle Mello, professor of law at Stanford Law School and professor of health policy at Stanford University School of Medicine, studied state lawmakers’ response to the use of public health authority during the pandemic; Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, chief science officer at the Washington Department of Health, discusses the vending machines filled with COVID and flu tests that are popping up all over Washington; and ASTHO’s speakers bureau can help you find the person to take your event to the next level.
ASTHO Webpage: Speakers Bureau
ROBERT JOHNSON:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Tuesday, March 19, 2024. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
MICHELLE MELLO:
Anything that requires officials to explain what it is that they're doing and why I think it's good because it makes them think things through.
JOHNSON:
Dr. Michelle Mello is a professor of law and health policy at Stanford. She worked with researchers at Temple University to study state lawmakers response to the use of public health authority during the pandemic. Mello says it's to be expected that policymakers would want to examine the scope of public health orders.
MELLO:
Before this, many governors, for example, could just re-up emergency declarations as many times as they wanted. And turns out people don't like that very much.
JOHNSON:
Mello says a balanced approach can help make sure public health retains its ability to contain and control outbreaks.
MELLO:
So, it seems to me much more sensible to have laws that provide for responses to the worst case scenarios that are going to be effective. But also when those scenarios morph into very long-term emergencies rebalanced power between the legislative and executive branches.
JOHNSON:
She tells public health leaders to reach out to lawmakers now, before the next emergency.
You can read Mello's paper in the British Medical Journal. The link is in the show notes.
MELLO:
Understanding when in an emergency the inflection point occurs after these legal reforms. When does the legislature get more of a say? And then beginning to think about how to plan now for the kinds of partnerships with probably subsets of legislators that make that kind of legislative action possible and likely to be successful is really important.
JOHNSON:
Vending Machines filled with COVID and flu tests are popping up all over Washington State. Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett is chief science officer at the state health department.
TAO SHENG KWAN-GETT:
Well, these are smart machines that have an LCD screen where the user can go and select what supplies they need. It doesn't collect any personal identifying information, but they do collect data on what supplies are dispensed.
JOHNSON:
Like other vending machines, Kwan-Gett says the kiosks are available to people anytime they need them.
KWAN-GETT:
And the great thing is that they're open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And they really empower individuals to obtain COVID-19 tests and possibly other health supplies without having to visit a health care facility or a health care provider.
JOHNSON:
He adds the machines are not limited to COVID and flu testing supplies.
KWAN-GETT:
While COVID-19 tests are the focus of the program and are provided free of charge by the Department of Health. Our tribal and local health jurisdiction partners can pay to have other supplies such as Naloxone and condoms and other prevention measures installed or supplied to these kiosks as well.
JOHNSON:
The vending machines are funded by federal COVID dollars. You can read more about Washington's kiosk program using the link in the show notes.
Also today if your agency needs an expert to join your panel or conference, ASTHO maintains a speaker's bureau to help you find the person to take your event to the next level. You can review the list of speakers and submit a request using the link in the show notes.
JOHNSON:
Finally, this morning stay connected to everything happening in public health. When you sign up for ASTHO's Public Health Weekly email newsletter, that link is also in the show notes.
Before we go a reminder also to follow this newscast on your podcast player and connect with ASTHO 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.
Professor of Law, Stanford Law School | Professor of Health Policy, Stanford University School of Medicine
