Mark Herz: Every month, we registered with the principle public well being official of the State, the Commissioner of the Division of Public Well being, Robbie Goldstein. Dr. Goldstein testified in Beacon Hill this week saying that Massachusetts officers must strengthen public well being insurance policies and funds to compensate for federal cuts. As well as, we’re nonetheless seeing measles and chook flu. Commissioner Goldstein joins us now to speak about these points and extra. Good day.
Robbie Goldstein: Good day.
Herz: Now we have been speaking about fund cuts from the White Home and the way they may have an effect on public well being right here in Massachusetts. You stated your division is creating your individual vaccine infrastructure to compensate for federal modifications. Are you able to clarify that?
Goldstein: Perhaps in the event you enable me, I’ll begin first saying that we’re very fortunate to be right here in Massachusetts as a result of now we have had years, a long time and nearly a century of state funding in public well being. That has allowed us to have a extremely sturdy vaccine infrastructure all through the state. I believe the most effective instance of that’s that now we have common entry to youngsters’s vaccine right here in Massachusetts. Any baby can get a vaccine, can enter the workplace of their pediatrician and ensure the vaccine is on the cabinets. The pediatrician can administer it, they’ll take the take and we will monitor it by way of our vaccine system within the state. We try to do the identical for adults as a result of we all know how essential vaccination is. We all know that if vaccines are accessible, if they’re straightforward to acquire for individuals, individuals are extra more likely to get them, and it’s the easiest way to guard towards so many illnesses.
Mark Herz: So now we have our vaccine, we act collectively right here in Massachusetts, and but now we have seen 20 extra measles instances within the west solely within the final 5 days. The prices of containing that outbreak are the rise and the Secretary of Well being and Human Providers, RFK Jr. has knowledgeable having advised households of two women who died, citing: “” You now not know what’s within the vaccine. ” I needed to consider that.
Goldstein: , I believe what we’re seeing within the west and, in actuality, frankly, all through the nation it’s tragic. We now have greater than 700 measles instances in the US solely in 2025. That could be a exceptional quantity for everybody to imagine. That’s, particularly, so exceptional as a result of measles is a preventable vaccine illness. We all know that the vaccine is protected and efficient. After we hearken to phrases like what simply stated of RFK Jr., of the Secretary of Well being and Human Providers. SCIENCES OF SCIENCE. He stimmed all of the infrastructure of public well being and that’s not what we want within the nation right now. We should be resolved. Vaccines are protected, vaccines are efficient, vaccines are the easiest way for fogeys to guard their measles from measles.
Herz: By staying with Secretary Kennedy, he additionally stated final week to plan to inform the CDC to cease recommending the flusted to communities all through the nation. What’s your place about this? Would you’re taking that suggestion if it was decreased from the CDC? And what would you like individuals right here in Massachusetts to learn about this final improvement?
Goldstein: I’ll begin saying my bias. My father is a dentist, and far of what I learn about fluoride and fluoride within the water comes from my father and I actually need to carry that perspective. However I believe the truth is that water fluoration works. We all know that communities which have fluoride in water finish with a decrease proportion of individuals with tooth decay, with dental issues, much less time outdoors college and work to go to the dentist. That is really fairness in motion. This can be a technique to make it possible for public well being interventions attain everybody in our state, particularly probably the most susceptible, by placing fluoride within the water. Additionally it is extremely protected. The experiences on which Secretary Kennedy helps, these experiences actually deal with artificially excessive ranges of fluoride, ranges that we don’t see in our water, ranges that CDC at the moment don’t advocate and the degrees that the Massachusetts public well being division doesn’t advocate. What we advocate are low ranges of fluoride in water, which we all know have the impact we hope they’ve. They assist younger youngsters particularly to construct robust tooth.
Herz: Properly, let’s change what’s changing into a perennial situation for you and me. Are you able to give us the newest updates and your suggestions on Avian or Avian Flu, as most of us lay individuals?
Goldstein: So, whereas now we have been speaking in current months, we’re seeing extremely excessive ranges of avian or flu influenza all through the nation and actually worldwide. However as we anticipated, because the climate heated, since now we have greater and better temperatures, we have been actually anticipating to see that avian influenza ranges lower. And that’s the means it has all the time occurred lately. That doesn’t imply that we shouldn’t be attentive. It’s not that we should always not hold trying and investing in our surveillance. And we’re doing it within the Division of Public Well being. I believe it is time for everybody to acknowledge because the climate heated, since individuals are outdoors, since you’re doing strolling and strolling, in the event you see useless animals, don’t method them. Name the Division of Public Well being or Wildlife Mass, name its Native Well being Board to ensure we will handle these animals as a result of we don’t want anybody to be uncovered right now.
Herz: The fascinating factor for me is, and I didn’t learn sufficient, however I noticed that there was a improvement by way of remedy and prevention and there was one thing that would spray within the noses of the cows to attempt to lower it from that finish of the spectrum. I questioned in the event you knew one thing about this.
Goldstein: Subsequently, our veterinary colleagues are doing an incredible job round influenza in livestock and, particularly, within the birds, to the proper, to make it possible for we will shield the inventory of corral birds all through the nation. That features issues reminiscent of vaccination and different interventions to assist cut back transmission. And I believe now we have to respect our veterinary colleagues, allow them to do that job, attempt to perceive how they’ll preserve this virus contained throughout the veterinary world in order that it doesn’t cross or proceed crossing the human world.
Herz: And I suppose that in the event that they may very well be profitable, that will be excellent news for egg lovers too.
Goldstein: That is true.
Herz: And there are some thrilling information for Wic members in Massachusetts, proper?
Goldstein: Sure, so WIC, our girls’s, infants and kids program that gives diet to greater than 125,000 individuals each month right here in Massachusetts, is basically having a yr of banner. First, it’s WIC’s 50th anniversary. It’s actually exceptional. However we’re innovating. Not solely will we stick with what now we have accomplished over the last 50 years. And final month, we launched on-line orders for WIC members. Then, in a form of alternative within the nation, we mix with the state of Washington. To permit WIC members to hook up with Walmart, request groceries, make them ship on to their door or can be found to gather in an area retailer. I stated this earlier than, however that is fairness in motion. This ensures that assets, diet and wholesome meals can be found to all, no matter the place you reside or what your transport state of affairs is. Now we have already had in simply a few weeks, hundreds of orders made by way of the web portal and we try to broaden it as a lot as we will.
Herz: Commissioner of the Division of Public Well being, Robbie Goldstein, thanks as all the time.
Goldstein: Thanks for inviting me.