Next week, I’m scheduled to interview US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy for MedPage Today. We’re slated to record on Monday morning and we plan to release the conversation sometime after that.
Over the years, Dr. Murthy has prioritized and elevated a few key issues that we’re sure to cover in our Q&A including his reports on social media, mental health, firearm safety, and vaping. But, Dr. Murthy was also involved in many aspects of the nation’s Covid response and works on a pretty extensive portfolio of important medical and public health issues.
So, now’s your chance to chime in, Inside Medicine community. What should I ask Dr. Murthy?
Upgraded subscribers can leave ideas in the Comment section. If you have not yet upgraded but have a burning question for Dr. Murthy you’d like me to consider, you can just email me as well (Dr. Murthy is a public official and I don’t want to gate keep on access on this one.)
I look forward to your contributions!
On the Surgeon General's web page, two of his current priorities are Health Misinformation and Covid-19. I'd like to see these take priority over Social Connection.
As far as I'm aware the Surgeon General has been silent while multiple States try to implement mask bans even though Covid cases are starting to surge again. It's the only way I know of to protect myself from an aerosol virus. Does he or the CDC not care about transmission of Covid? Why are States trying to strip people of their right to Public Health?
Are there any updates on Project Next Generation vaccines?
Will there be any initiatives to improve indoor air quality in order to reduce viral transmission?
With respect to health misinformation, how about taking on Dr. Ashish Jha. The other night in an interview on Chris Cuomo's program, Dr. Jha stated it's now a "fringe position" to still mask indoors. Covid cases are increasing. Not as many die from Covid, but why is death the benchmark when millions are being disabled by Long Covid? Does anyone in Public Health not worry about the future long-term effects of repeat Covid infections on patients, health care systems and the economy? We're all vulnerable and making a full recovery or getting Long Covid is a little like playing Russian roulette.
Please ask for safer conditions in healthcare for those at high risk, for seniors, and seniors at high risk. We need places we can go to to see all six, seven or eight doctors in one morning instead of all those trips. We need dedicated Monday mornings the whole half day, to schedule safe doctor appointments after buildings have been closed on Sundays, so the air is better. We need all medical personnel working with at-risk, elderly, and elderly at high risk to be wearing well fitted N 95 masks, and to have Air filtration systems that follow scientific standards for most efficiently reducing rebreathed air in the office, waiting rooms, and patient rooms. All of those rooms should also be equipped with digital air quality monitors with displays, so patients can see the air quality where they are sitting and waiting. And of course healthcare and personnel need the funding for this. Maybe it would save money to just build facilities like this instead of upgrading everything, because it seems most people think they don't need this. Thank you for listening.