Will Stone

There's so much trauma from the COVID pandemic. The medical profession saw an exodus of nurses and doctors. The same trend is true in the public health workforce. Meanwhile, trust in public health and government agencies has fallen. misinformation, fights over masking, school closures, lots of things could have played a role.

And a recent survey from Harvard found trust in doctors and hospitals dipped from 70 percent in 2020 to less than 50 percent as of early 2024.

And a recent survey from Harvard found trust in doctors and hospitals dipped from 70 percent in 2020 to less than 50 percent as of early 2024.

And a recent survey from Harvard found trust in doctors and hospitals dipped from 70 percent in 2020 to less than 50 percent as of early 2024.

Yeah, it's hard to overstate the implications, Scott. I spoke to Lauren Sauer about this. She's an expert on pandemic preparedness at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Yeah, it's hard to overstate the implications, Scott. I spoke to Lauren Sauer about this. She's an expert on pandemic preparedness at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Yeah, it's hard to overstate the implications, Scott. I spoke to Lauren Sauer about this. She's an expert on pandemic preparedness at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

And along with that, funding is under threat. There was an infusion of money during COVID, but there have been proposals from House Republicans to slash funding for public health programs, including the CDC. And it's possible that it will gain momentum when President-elect Trump is sworn in on Monday.

And along with that, funding is under threat. There was an infusion of money during COVID, but there have been proposals from House Republicans to slash funding for public health programs, including the CDC. And it's possible that it will gain momentum when President-elect Trump is sworn in on Monday.

And along with that, funding is under threat. There was an infusion of money during COVID, but there have been proposals from House Republicans to slash funding for public health programs, including the CDC. And it's possible that it will gain momentum when President-elect Trump is sworn in on Monday.

Yes, there are some advances. Our ability to do wastewater surveillance to track the spread of disease. That's one example brought up by Caitlin Rivers. She's at Johns Hopkins and recently authored a book on fighting outbreaks called Crisis Averted.

Yes, there are some advances. Our ability to do wastewater surveillance to track the spread of disease. That's one example brought up by Caitlin Rivers. She's at Johns Hopkins and recently authored a book on fighting outbreaks called Crisis Averted.

Yes, there are some advances. Our ability to do wastewater surveillance to track the spread of disease. That's one example brought up by Caitlin Rivers. She's at Johns Hopkins and recently authored a book on fighting outbreaks called Crisis Averted.

And public health experts say having vaccines ready to go will be key for bird flu. That's why the government is stockpiling existing vaccines and developing new mRNA shots in case the outbreak escalates.

And public health experts say having vaccines ready to go will be key for bird flu. That's why the government is stockpiling existing vaccines and developing new mRNA shots in case the outbreak escalates.

And public health experts say having vaccines ready to go will be key for bird flu. That's why the government is stockpiling existing vaccines and developing new mRNA shots in case the outbreak escalates.

Well, it's largely been silent. Certainly, Trump has the experience of Operation Warp Speed that produced the COVID vaccine. But scientists like Andrew Pavia at the University of Utah are concerned based on the track record of some of Trump's health picks. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

Well, it's largely been silent. Certainly, Trump has the experience of Operation Warp Speed that produced the COVID vaccine. But scientists like Andrew Pavia at the University of Utah are concerned based on the track record of some of Trump's health picks. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

Well, it's largely been silent. Certainly, Trump has the experience of Operation Warp Speed that produced the COVID vaccine. But scientists like Andrew Pavia at the University of Utah are concerned based on the track record of some of Trump's health picks. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

For years, Kennedy led an advocacy group that's a big player in the anti-vaccine movement. And Scott, yesterday we learned that in the spring of 2021, Kennedy filed a citizen's petition on behalf of that advocacy group to the FDA. And in it, he requested the agency revoke the authorizations for the COVID vaccine for all demographic groups.