Katelyn Jetelina, Ph.D., MPH, is the type of our public health professional.
As an epidemiologist, he studies the patterns and causes of the disease in public health (eg Covid) and is extremely passionate about the exchange of information based on evidence with anyone interested.
Her free weekly newsletter, Your local epidemiologistIt collapses complex public health events with a friendly, easy to understand the way. The newsletter started during Covid and quickly became the resource for reliable information during the pandemic. Today, about 230,000 people in 100 countries subscribe to your local epidemiologist and Time magazine called Jetelina one of 100 most influential people in health in 2024.
From Covid, Jetelina’s newsletter has evolved to include different public health issues, including nutrition and new research. Here is our interview with Jetelina and her thoughts on bird flu and new guidelines on what a “healthy” food is considered.
Our interview follows, processing for clarity and length.
Healthy: The site says to you: “During the day, I wear a lot of hats, including scientific adviser to several organizations, including CDC. At night, I am writing this newsletter.” Why is it important for you to put this newsletter?
Dr. Jetelina: I intend to make this newsletter during the pandemic – and I didn’t think it would have to be done for a long time, but here I have been in it for five years and it is still alive and well – and fills a huge gap.
I mean, there are not enough people who respond to soil concerns and there are many confusion and questions that need to be answered in a timely and understandable manner. And so, I explore this space.
Read: 15 minutes with: Kizzmekia S Corbett, Ph.D., talks about omicron >>
Healthy: We know that you work to get the facts out there for why vaccines are so important. What do you want to say to people who are still worried about the Covid vaccine?
Dr. Jetelina: I think there will be even more questions about vaccines – even beyond Covid – as we enter this new era in US policy and I think it’s okay to have questions. I want people to have questions. But what I am most concerned about is the people who receive information based on evidence. What we know from the vaccines on the market is that it is much safer than getting the disease itself – whether it is covid or measles or cough – you call it. Vaccines are the best tool we have in our tool to live a healthy and prosperous life.
Healthy: We are in the middle of the influenza, RSV and Covid Season. Is it too late to be vaccinated now (asking for a friend)?
Dr. Jetelina: We are at the height of the respiratory period right now, and in fact it is not too late to be vaccinated. If they culminate now or next week, it still means that the wave has to go down, and the flu is well known to be pulled because otherwise dominated later in the spring.
So, no, it’s not too late to be vaccinated – especially for flu and covid.
Read: Is Covid, RSV or Flu? >>
Healthy: Earlier this year, a person in Louisiana died of the H5N1 bird flu. How worried you have to be for bird flu?
Dr. Jetelina: For the average American, this is something you should be careful, but it is not an emergency of five alarms, as it was with Covid. And there aren’t many people, right? Do not drink non -pasteurized milk. Do not touch wild birds and animals that look sick. At the moment, it is not an emergency and the danger is certainly not uniform. [Editor’s Note: People who come in contact with birds, poultry and livestock have the most risk of exposure.]
Healthy: Can you talk a little about the role that American diet plays in chronic illness, especially for women?
Dr. Jetelina: Nutrition is extremely important to keep us healthy. It is one of the things that help with our immune system and having a dietary, balanced diet is one of the things we can do for our health.
Healthy: In a recent newsletter, mention that starting in February, if a company wants to claim that their food product is “healthy”, it must prove two things: food contains a certain amount of one of the five food groups and the food It can “exceed the added sugar, sodium or saturated food limits based on food and ordinary consumed amounts. What are your thoughts about change and do you think it will affect what people think they are healthy to eat?
Dr. Jetelina: May. I think there are many different levers that can be pulled. For example, behavior levers, such as having a food warning system, as well as cigarette packages, could certainly help training around nutritional food and what is not.
It is very confusing for many people out there. I think what I am more excited, however, is the indirect levers we will have in companies: to do better in the development and distribution of healthy foods. And so, I think it will be an indirect tool to keep companies and industry responsible.
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