School Notes: School of Public Health
May/June 2020

Virtual town hall video addresses latest coronavirus developments

Responding to the Coronavirus Pandemic, a 90-minute video featuring eight experts from Yale and the city of New Haven, was released March 19 to inform the public and policymakers on the latest developments in the global public health emergency. Gregg Gonsalves ’11, ’17PhD, assistant professor at the Yale School of Public Health, moderated the virtual town hall, which provides analysis and updates from experts on important aspects of the outbreak, including disease symptoms, possible long-term scenarios, and best measures for personal protection. As a safety precaution, all of the panelists participated remotely. “This is a public health emergency, and we need to provide the latest and best information for people to make informed decisions,” said Gonsalves.

Experts issue guidelines for US response to coronavirus transmission

Widespread transmission of the COVID-19 coronavirus within the United States is “inevitable,” and a successful response to the epidemic must protect the health and human rights of everyone in the country, over 800 public health, human rights, and legal experts and organizations warned in early March in an open letter to Vice President Mike Pence and other government officials. The letter details a series of recommendations that government officials must consider through new legislation, policies, leadership, and spending. The recommendations stress the protection of vulnerable populations.

Students create COVID newsletter

Two MPH students—Jeanette Jiang and Emily Peterson, with the assistance of Professor Robert Heimer—created and now maintain a recurring newsletter on the coronavirus pandemic that provides timely and well-sourced information that can be easily understood by diverse audiences. The newsletter—COVID-19 Updated Data and Developments—is published on the Yale School of Public Health website every few days and is focused on response efforts and updates in Connecticut and neighboring Rhode Island. “As YSPH students, this is a rare, real-world experience to demonstrate what we have learned in the classroom and contribute to the community,” said Jiang and Peterson.