One year into a raging viral pandemic that has claimed over 525,000 American lives, Harvardâs affiliated hospitals have been equipped with arguably one of the most significant medical accomplishments of the 21st century: the Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccines.
Receiving the vaccine supply is just the first step, however, and Harvardâs hospitals have run into another challenge getting shots into arms: overcoming pervasive inequities that have left individuals of color with less access to and trust in the health care system. Even among the hospitalsâ own staff, communication difficulties and mistrust have led to unequal rates of vaccination.
Harvard Medical School professor Michelle E. Morse was appointed as the New York City Health Departmentâs inaugural Chief Medical Officer and as Deputy Commissioner for the Center for Health Equity and Community Wellness on Feb. 16, per a press release.
As the departmentâs first-ever Chief Medical Officer, Morseâs primary responsibilities will be to lead efforts to bridge public health and the health care sector, as well as to serve as a liaison between the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and local clinicians.
Morse said in an interview that the department created the role in response to a âmajor structural challengeâ in coordinating the large number of health systems across a city as expansive as New York.
Majority of Women in 16 Countries Would Vaccinate Child Against Covid-19, Per Harvard Survey | News thecrimson.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thecrimson.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Harvard History of Science professor Evelynn M. Hammonds and University of Colorado Boulder law professor Craig Konnoth discussed ways to confront racism in medicine and disparities in the delivery of health care during a virtual panel Friday.
The conversation â moderated by Michelle Morse, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School â was part of the Health Policy and Bioethics Consortia, a monthly series organized by the Medical School and the Law School that brings together experts from separate disciplines to discuss issues relating to biomedical innovation and healthcare delivery.
Konnoth and Hammonds spoke about the historical development of medical stereotypes that impact the health outcomes of Black individuals today.
More than 60 student and faculty volunteers provided free dental services to children at the Harvard School of Dental Medicineâs annual âGive Kids a Smileâ event on Saturday.
The event â which administers free dental cleanings, oral examinations, and referrals â is part of the national âGive Kids a Smileâ initiative that aims to increase accessibility to dental care.
Dental School students Ziwei Chen, Kadriye E. Hargett, and Jessica K. Murphree helped organize the event.
Chen, Hargett, and Murphree said organizers had to think of new ways to provide the same services while complying with the stateâs social distancing guidelines due to the pandemic.