The CDC signed off on the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11. Dr. Lichtsinn gives us some background information on how it happened and shares important information for parents.
Like most parents, Katie Dohman is wondering what this school year has in store. And she's tired. Katie joins to share her story of advocating for her kids, parenting/working/existing through a pandemic and posits, how can we make sure nobody burns out?
If you’re looking for a bit more from Katie, check out this article from The Cut, Does Anyone Want to Hear About Burned-Out Moms Anymore?
The Minnesota Council on Disability is a mainstay at the Minnesota State Fair, which kicks off today. It's a time for education, connection, and of course, good food. But this year, the Council made the difficult decision to forego the Fair, prioritizing health, safety and leading by example. David Dively, Executive Director of the Minnesota Council on Disability joins us to share the story of this decision and a slight tangent on the new movie CODA (Child of Deaf Adults).
And, please take a moment to read the Minnesota Council on Disability's open letter, available here.
The delta variant of COVID-19 is now the dominant strain in Minnesota. In this episode, Dr. Hannah Lichtsinn explains why the delta variant is particularly dangerous, how we can mitigate the risk of catching COVID-19 (even if we're vaccinated) and spreading it to others, and what it all means for the coming months. And we couldn't resist a little gymnastics talk after St. Paul's Suni Lee won gold a few hours before we recorded!
For more information on COVID-19 vaccines, check out the MN Department of Health Vaccine Connector: https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/connector/
In honor of Twin Cities Pride Weekend, Alissa Light and Nathalie Crowley talk about Family Tree Clinic, a leading reproductive and sexual health care clinic. Through education and programs like their LGBTQ Health Access Initiative, Family Tree is proof that we can center healthcare on the needs of our communities, treat all patients with dignity and respect, and that a well-educated community is a healthier community.
Check out Family Tree's website for more information: https://www.familytreeclinic.org/
We've heard the phrase "immunocompromised" a lot in the last year (plus), usually in the context of who may have additional risks when it comes to COVID-19. Our guest today, Steve Romenesko, is one such person. He is a double transplant recipient and, as he says, a professional sick person. Steve shares his twenty-year and counting story with us, and sheds some light on new research about the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in transplant patients.
For more information on the study Steve is taking part in, check out our blog.
It's Black Maternal Health Week and we are joined by J'Mag Karbeah, a PhD student in the School of Public Health in the Division of Health Policy Management's Health Services Research, Policy and Administration program at the University of Minnesota. Black Maternal Health Week was founded and is led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance to "amplify the voices of Black mamas and center the values and traditions of the reproductive and birth justice movements." J'Mag speaks to the reproductive justice framework that she uses to approach her research, and shares her intersectional approach to understanding Black Maternal health and healthcare as a whole.
It's a short and sweet update from Dr. Hannah Lichtsinn about variants, rising case numbers and vaccines. Plus, a clue as to what Hayley will be baking Hannah for her birthday when we can once again gather together!
Emily Richter joins Hayley to share her reproductive healthcare story. We also dig into some of the restrictive laws on the books in Minnesota and a bill that would repeal some of those laws. This episode was produced with the help of our partners in health justice at UnRestrict Minnesota. UnRestrict MN is hosting Reproductive Freedom Lobby Day on Friday, March 12, 2021. Join us by signing up here. For more information on UnRestrict MN, check out their website.
Sara Messelt, Executive Director of Proof Alliance, joins Hayley to talk about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), stigma, and meeting people where they are. FASD might be a new term for you, but Proof is working hard to expand awareness and understanding of how being born with an FASD might impact a child and how we can work as a society to support kids with FASD and reduce the stigma. Check out their website, proofalliance.org, or give them a call, 651-917-2370, to learn more!
In this episode, Dr. Lichtsinn shares her thoughts about equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccine. There is a lot to dig into when it comes to vaccine distribution, so we'll be coming back to this topic. Stay up-to-date on new podcast episodes and join the conversation by signing up for our weekly newsletter!
Hannah mentions a report from the Wilder Foundation. If you'd like to learn more about what they found, check out the report here.
A new year, a new legislative session, a new president and a new season of the Our Stories. Our Health. podcast! And who better to kick us off than the new Senator representing District 64, Erin Murphy? Erin and Hayley revisit the idea of wholesale change as they talk about the past 11 months and what is to come.
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The FDA has granted emergency use authorization to two COVID-19 vaccines and healthcare workers across the state are starting to receive their vaccines. Dr. Hannah Lichtsinn joins to help us understand how vaccines are developed and how this vaccine might impact our communities.
Sam Zimmerman joins us to explain how the new contact tracing app, COVIDaware MN, works. Sam is the CTO of the organization PathCheck, a nonprofit developing contact tracing applications for around the country, and oversees all of the technology used to build COVIDaware MN. Download the app in the App Store or on Google Play. For more information, head to covidawaremn.com.
We asked Minnesotans to share with us what they were thinking about as they voted this year.
In honor of National Vote Early Day (October 24, 2020), Erin Conti joins us to talk about all the ways we can vote in Minnesota. Whether you plan to vote before or on Election Day, in-person or by mail, Erin has the info you need to safely vote this election season. We also geek out over some Minnesota Secretaries of State. Voting is our superpower. Make your plan and vote for our future.
Secretary of State’s website: sos.state.mn.us
Voter Hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
After a bit of a summer break, Dr. Lichtsinn is back to share her thoughts on healthcare in Minnesota during the era of COVID. In this episode, we talk about the closures of hospitals during a pandemic and what that means to our healthcare system as a whole. Spoiler, we think it is very bad, but Hannah also reminds us that as things start to crumble, we can find ground on which to build.
This week, MDH announced an expansion of testing options for Minnesotans, while the CDC announced new guidelines about who should be tested. If you're confused, don't worry, we have some questions too. Dr. Lichtsinn helps us focus in on what we need to know about testing.
Ruth Richardson is a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives and the CEO of Wayside Recover Center, which specializes in chemical dependency and mental health treatment for women and their families. As a member of the POCI (People of Color and Indigenous) Caucus in the Minnesota House, Rep. Richardson was one of the legislators who sought to specifically name Racism as a Public Health Crisis, chief authoring the House Resolution that passed this summer. In this episode, Hayley learns more about Wayside's many programs and the process of passing the long overdue resolution in the House. Let us know if you want to join our Ruth Richardson fan club.