CDC Foundation Releases New Episode of Contagious Conversations Podcast Using New Approaches to Tell Public Health Stories

Season premiere explores Chicago measles outbreak response and the vital connection between public health and our economy

ATLANTA, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The CDC Foundation today announced a new take on its popular podcast series, Contagious Conversations. The updated show will use a story arc in each episode to explore critical public health issues with experts from diverse fields. Released today, the latest episode– "The Costs of Getting Sick" –provides a behind-the scenes look at a disease outbreak investigation and examines the economic impact of disease on our nation's economy and the role of the public health community in preparing for and mitigating these impacts.

"We're pleased to bring to our listeners Contagious Conversations' new format, which offers perspectives from multiple experts in a narrative approach," said Judy Monroe, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. "Our goal is to highlight the role public health plays in our lives and in society including in our newest episode on the impact to our economy."

This episode features insightful conversations with Dr. Alexander Sloboda of the Chicago Department of Public Health and Dr. Dan Filardo of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the rapid public health response to a recent measles outbreak in Chicago. The episode also includes a conversation with Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), sharing his insights on the costs of disease prevention versus the economic impact of disease outbreaks.

"[With measles] you don't even have to come into contact with a person if you were in the same room, say someone was on a bus or they were at a doctor's office, or even at a mall, someone brings measles into the air when they were contagious, usually it's before they get sick or have a fever and rash, and then it'll stick in the air for two hours. So, someone that comes in an hour later breathes it in, they get measles," said Alex Sloboda, MD, emergency medicine physician and medical director of Immunizations and Emergency at Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). Sloboda continued "Because of the amazing efforts of CDPH, the City of Chicago, our healthcare partners, advocates, community-based organizations, we were able to put a stop to it [measles outbreak] pretty quickly. It could have been so much worse if we didn't act as swiftly and safely as we did with the vaccines, with the surveillance and testing and screening."

Contagious Conversations' new format will provide additional narrative to lend more context to the conversations, incorporate more perspectives and paint a broader picture for listeners. In addition, new podcast episodes will be released quarterly allowing for richer content development.

"Through this new approach to our Contagious Conversations podcast, we're also working to illuminate stories that convey the lifesaving work of public health that take place around us every day, helping to keep us all safe and providing us, our friends and our families with the information we need to make decisions about our health," said Pierce Nelson, the Foundation's chief communications officer. "Public health is about protecting us all—everyone, in every community, in every part of our nation and world."

To listen to Contagious Conversations, subscribe or download on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcasting app. For more information, visit www.cdcfoundation.org/conversations.

About the CDC Foundation
The CDC Foundation helps the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) save and improve lives by unleashing the power of collaboration between CDC, philanthropies, corporations, organizations and individuals to protect the health, safety and security of America and the world. The CDC Foundation is the go-to nonprofit authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners and private-sector resources to support CDC's critical health protection mission. Since 1995, the CDC Foundation has raised over $2.2 billion and launched more than 1,400 programs impacting a variety of health threats from chronic disease conditions including cardiovascular disease and cancer, to infectious diseases like rotavirus and HIV, to emergency responses, including COVID-19 and Ebola. The CDC Foundation managed hundreds of programs in the United States and in more than 80 countries last year. Learn more at www.cdcfoundation.org. Follow the CDC Foundation on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, X/Twitter and TikTok.

SOURCE CDC Foundation