Infant Health And Immunization Episodes

In this episode, ASTHO member and Michigan Department of Health & Human Services Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian breaks down a major development in national vaccine policy: the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' (ACIP’s) decision to narrow its guidance on the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns.

ASTHO's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Susan Kansagra, joins us for a candid conversation about the state of public health today. She reflects on her unexpected path into the field, the urgent need to rebuild public trust, and why communicating the everyday value of public health is more critical than ever. Dr. Kansagra also explores how social media, new messengers, and emerging tools like AI can help reshape engagement, boost impact, and energize a workforce facing growing pressure. A motivating reminder that public health is a marathon, not a sprint, and that meaningful progress takes time, partnership, and persistence.

Dr. Susan Kansagra, chief medical officer at ASTHO, shares an update on rising RSV activity and how states are tracking trends during the federal shutdown. She highlights new tools that protect infants, including maternal vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, and explains how public health and birthing hospitals are partnering to expand access through the Vaccines for Children program. Early results show increased hospital enrollment and fewer RSV-related hospitalizations among infants.

Dr. Michelle Fiscus, chief medical officer at the Association of Immunization Managers, discusses numbers released in March that show the RSV immunization for infants is 90 percent effective; Dr. Tom Frieden, president and chief executive officer of...