The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to declare medical misinformation a public health crisis following a tumultuous, 15-hour meeting that included eight hours of often angry public comment against vaccine and mask mandates.
In a sign that school-based COVID-19 safety measures are showing promise, fewer students and staff were exposed to the coronavirus in these outbreaks.The county’s measure, adapted from an advisory by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy in his advisory “Confronting Health Misinformation,” offers broad, general direction on how it will do so.
For instance, county figures show that while 72% of Latino, 70% of Asian and 63% of white residents have received at least one COVID-19 shot as of Aug. 25,The resolution also directs county officials to research sources of health misinformation and to calculate their impact. And it authorizes the county to invest in training for health professionals and in educational programs to help people distinguish between medical research and personal opinion.
County officials said they have not ironed out many of the details of those efforts but are creating a task force to work on them. For instance, they will have to define what constitutes medical misinformation and how to label it.The newly passed measure also calls for enlisting “trusted messengers” to engage people on public health matters such as COVID-19 vaccination.
“Nobody is going to convince the hardcore of those who believe the pandemic is a hoax, but there are a lot of people who are reluctant … it’s not so hard,” Hallin said. “Initiatives to reach that part of the public are really important.”Argentina Servin, an assistant professor in the division of infectious diseases and global public health, leads UC San Diego’s project 2VIDA!, an outreach and vaccination campaign in the area’s hardest hit communities.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
COVID-19 live updates: San Diego County declares medical misinformation a 'public health crisis'CORONAVIRUS LATEST: — Virginia Tech disenrolls 134 students who didn't meet vaccination policy — TSA screens lowest number of travelers since May — San Diego County declares medical misinformation a public health crisis
Read more »
Woman charged with assaulting attendant on San Diego flightA California woman who allegedly punched a flight attendant in the face and grabbed her hair has been charged with assault in federal court
Read more »
5 missing after Navy helicopter crashes into sea off San DiegoA Navy helicopter crashed into the sea off Southern California on Tuesday, the military says; the number of people aboard the helicopter was not immediately clear.
Read more »
Navy helicopter crashes off San Diego, search underway for crewThe MH-60S helicopter was operating off the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln when it crashed Tuesday afternoon, the Navy says
Read more »
Search and rescue mission underway after US Navy helicopter crashes off San Diego coastSearch and rescue efforts are underway after a US Navy helicopter crashed off the San Diego coast Tuesday, officials said.
Read more »