According to the Gun Violence Archive, more than 17,000 people have died so far this year in the U.S. from guns, including more than 100 children under the age of 12. June is Gun Violence Awareness Month, which was created to draw attention to this tragic reality and to help fuel demand life-saving change. Andrea Welsing, Director of the Office of Violence Prevention in the LA County Department of Public Health, joins the podcast to share about gun violence in LA County and how people can get involved to become part of the solution. Links discussed during the show: DPH's Office of Violence Pr ..read more

Hands-Only CPR carried out by a bystander has been shown to be as effective as CPR with breaths in the first few minutes during an out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest for an adult victim, and learning hands-only CPR increases the chances of a bystander taking action in a cardiac emergency. In this episode, Steve is joined by Stella Fogleman, Director of the Emergency Preparedness Response Division in the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, to discuss this easy-to-learn and potentially life-saving technique. Links discussed during the show: DPH Heart Heroes Heart Heroes fact shee ..read more

In June of 2022, the Food and Drug Administration approved COVID-19 vaccines for young children age 6 months to 5 years old. Yet only 12% of children age 6 months to 4 years have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Disparities exist among children of color, with only 6% of Black children and 5% of Latino children in LA County receiving at least one dose, compared to 22% of Asian children, 19% of White children, and 15% of American Indian and Alaska Native children. Dr. Nava Yeganeh, Medical Director of Vaccine Preventable Disease Control in the Acute Communicable Disease Control Program ..read more

Older adults are at increased risk for severe illness or even death from COVID-19, and risk increases with age.  In this episode, Steve is joined by Dr. Chandana Das, Lead Physician with the Healthcare Outreach Unit in the Department of Public Health and Dr. Pingting Nie, who is the Associate Chief of the Healthcare Outreach Unit in the Acute Communicable Disease Control Program in the Los Angeles Department of Public Health. Links discussed during the show: Find out where to get a COVID vaccine in Los Angeles County In-home vaccinations are available through this online form. Coping wi ..read more

This holiday season we are seeing high rates of influenza – the flu – as well as RSV and COVID-19.  In this episode we are joined by Dr. Prabhu Gounder, Medical Director of the Respiratory Diseases Unit in the Communicable Diseases Control Program and Elizabeth Traub, Viral Respiratory Diseases Epidemiologist, who share about the flu season, flu shots, and how to best keep our families and ourselves healthy.  Links discussed during the show: Find out where to go to get a flu shot in LA County  Acute Communicable Disease Control (ACDC) Homepage ACDC Flu Information  LA Coun ..read more

In this episode Steve is joined by Dr. Gary Tsai, Director or the Division of Substance Abuse Prevention and Control in the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and Ed Ternan, who together with his wife Mary founded Song for Charlie, a national family-run nonprofit charity dedicated to raising awareness about “fentapills” - fake pills made of fentanyl. Links discussed during the show: Get help online at www.recoverla.org  Find treatment services now by calling (844) 804-7500 Visit Song for Charlie at www.songforcharlie.org Connect with others who have lost a loved one to overd ..read more

In this episode we are joined by Matt Ford, who shares his experience with monkeypox, and Dr. Leo Moore, Medical Director for Clinic Services in the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, who shares his expertise on what monkeypox is and how we can protect ourselves and others from infection. Links discussed during the show: LA Public Health's Monkeypox Homepage LA Public Health's online vaccine sign-up If you can't sign up online, call (833) 540-0473 Monkeypox signage and resources Coping with stress? The Department of Mental Health has online resources to help. Follow our dep ..read more

Therapeutics to help treat COVID-19 are now available and Dr. Seira Kurian, Area Health Officer in Service Planning Area 1-2 and LA County DPH's lead for therapeutics with the COVID response team, joins to share what medications are available, how they work, and how to access them. Links discussed during the show: LA Public Health Vaccine Call Center: (833) 540-0473 LA Public Health COVID medication information page Homebound vaccination program online request form In-home vaccination web page in English and Spanish www.VaccinateLACounty.com Coping with stress during the COVID-19 pandem ..read more

Last week the Food and Drug Administration approved COVID-19 vaccines for young children age 6 months to 5 years old.  Our team reached out via social media to collect your questions and in this episode we get answers from Dr. Nava Yeganeh, Medical Director of Vaccine Preventable Disease Control in the Acute Communicable Disease Control Program in the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Links discussed during the show: www.VaccinateLACounty.com LA Public Health’s Vaccine Service Locator LA Public Health Vaccine Call Center: (833) 540-0473 LA Public Health’s how to get vaccina ..read more

Since 2016 the department’s Office of Violence Prevention has championed the Trauma Prevention initiative, investing in community-led public safety by hiring local peacemakers, building meaningful partnerships with community and creating safe spaces to help communities heal and thrive. In this episode we focus on the critical importance of partnerships in public health work as we are joined by LA County Board of Supervisors Chair Holly Mitchell, Director of Public Health Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Parks and Recreation Department Director Norma E. Garcia, community organizer Kevin Orange, and Office o ..read more