It’s National Public Health Week and, especially in the midst of a pandemic, we acknowledge the many efforts and achievements of public health practitioners, educators, students, policy makers, and researchers. Members of the UNM HSC community have been involved in a range of significant COVID-related activities, from genomic epidemiology to statewide leadership in controlling the spread of infection.
This pandemic highlights the important work of modern public health, work that has been going on since the 19th century with efforts to identify, understand, and control infectious diseases. Education, sanitation, and vaccine development and use are population-level interventions that have controlled or eradicated many devastating diseases worldwide.
Information management is key to public health practice. Research, data collection and analysis, communication, and coordination of community activities all depend on valid, current information. The term “infodemic” became popular last year because of the overwhelming volume of new information that appeared in the published and unpublished literature, in the media, and on social networks. Not all of the information was correct, some of it was the best that was known at the time but subsequently disputed.
It is challenging to sort out facts from speculation and stay abreast of the breakthroughs in knowledge. Members of HSLIC worked with others in the HSC to provide up-to-date information early on by sorting through and evaluating emerging information. We developed several research guides related to pandemic information. These include: Communicating in a Healthcare Setting During COVID-19, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Research, Free Resources During COVID19 Disruptions, Health Statistics and Demographics, and Evaluating Resources.
COVID has upended our individual lives. Members of the public health community have had the extra burden of working tirelessly on behalf of all of us. This week we appreciate the dedication of the public health workforce and the critical importance of public health.
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