COVID-19 USA - Lessons and New Tools to Improve Workplace Safety - Ambassador Deborah Birx, MD
Dr. Birx discusses strategies to improve workplace safety in the era of COVID-19. Vaccines and boosters are important, but they need to be supplemented with proactive testing, therapeutics and the use of N95 masks during surges if you want to be protected against infection and the potential for long COVID. Our current vaccines alone cannot maintain or sustain herd immunity due to rapid waning of protection against infection and reinfection. AIDS is being controlled without a vaccine which illustrates the strength of public health measures when focused and fully implemented. Dr. Birx also discussed the need to not run a dual healthcare system, the need to integrate public health data collection from routine existing electronic records, ensure definitive laboratory diagnosis of all community acquired infectious diseases, the clear disparities and structural barriers in care and the need for better access to care. Finally, she discusses her biggest concerns regarding COVID-19 as we enter the fall and winter. Health Watch USA Conference on "Frontline Worker Safety in the Age of COVID-19" Sept. 14, 2022.    Download Slides
   
Presentations from additional countries can be viewed at:  https://www.healthwatchusa.org/conference2022/index.html