This Week in Public Health

02/20/2026

Wyoming’s daring $205 million gamble could keep rural health care alive—forever. Faced with the disappearance of rural hospitals and ambulance services, Wyoming wants to invest federal grant money in a “perpetuity fund” that could sustain support for decades. But the federal government hasn’t fully signed off yet, and some worry if this bold idea is risky or visionary. For those of us fighting for rural health equity, could this be the breakthrough we’ve waited for? How is your community working to stretch health funding?

We break this down every week in This Week in Public Health.

Wyoming officials say they have a plan to make five years of upcoming grants from a new $50 billion federal rural health program last "forever."

02/20/2026

Unacceptable.

Black Long Beach residents face a devastating 10-year life expectancy gap—will city leaders act fast enough? The recent Black Community Health Assessment laid bare years of economic struggle, housing insecurity, and emotional distress impacting thousands. Now, Long Beach’s City Council is stepping up with plans to boost local hiring and partner with schools, transit, and employers to create real, measurable change. As public health champions and advocates, we know that economic stability isn’t just a job issue—it’s a lifeline. But are we ready to dismantle the deeply woven barriers in our systems?

How is this playing out in your community? We break this down every week in This Week in Public Health.

The Council has moved forward with ways to improve the lives and well-being of the city’s Black residents.

02/20/2026

Nevada’s public health insurance plan is flopping—and thousands could lose coverage this year.

After hopes that new state-run options would lower costs, fewer than one-third of expected people signed up. Meanwhile, federal subsidies that made insurance affordable have disappeared—leaving vulnerable communities at risk. As public health advocates and clinicians, we see how policies on paper don’t always translate to real help on the ground. How is your state managing rising premiums and shrinking safety nets?

We break this down every week in This Week in Public Health.

More than 10,000 people have enrolled in Nevada’s new public option health plans, which debuted last fall with the expectation that they would bring lower prices to the health insurance market. Those preliminary numbers from ...

02/20/2026

Millions face deadly pollution rollbacks—and communities of color pay the highest price.

In places like Louisiana’s Cancer Alley, where families already lose loved ones to pollution-linked cancers, the EPA’s recent decision to scrap crucial protections feels like a punch to the gut. Without these rules, pollution will rise, worsening health and disasters in neighborhoods that can least afford it. For those of us fighting for justice and healthy futures, this isn’t just policy—it’s a crisis impacting our communities’ lives and legacies. Are we ready to let this stand? 🌍 We break this down every week in This Week in Public Health.

In a stretch of Louisiana with about 170 fossil fuel and petrochemical plants, premature death is a fact of life for people living nearby. The air is so polluted and the cancer rates so high it is…

02/20/2026

Surviving infection isn’t the end—chronic illness lingers and vaccines are our best defense.

For decades, history has shown that infections like the flu, polio, and now COVID-19 don’t simply disappear—they often trigger lifelong health battles for many survivors. Yet, vaccine skepticism and weakened public health measures are putting us at risk of repeating these painful patterns. As public health professionals and advocates, we know prevention saves lives today and protects futures tomorrow.

How do you see vaccine trust shaping the fight against chronic post-infectious diseases in your community? 💉 We break this down every week in This Week in Public Health.

Despite well-established links between pathogens and chronic illness, the U.S. government continues to weaken public health measures to treat and prevent infectious diseases — a strategy that will ultimately make Americans even sicker.

02/20/2026

Mental health isn’t just a benefit—it’s the secret engine powering every workday

For decades, workplaces treated mental health like an optional perk—something folks could tap into only when things got really bad. But stress, burnout, and anxiety don’t show up in neat packages. They simmer all day, every day, quietly draining resilience and harming performance. If our systems wait for employees to raise their hands, by then, it’s often too late. How can we design workplaces that support mental health as automatically as cybersecurity or financial controls?

How is this playing out in your community? We break this down every week in This Week in Public Health.

Companies that embrace mental health as an operating system gain both happier employees and stability.

02/20/2026

Empty psychiatric beds, endless waits: North Carolina's mental health crisis is spiraling out of control.

Our state has hundreds of vacant hospital beds because we simply don’t have enough nurses and technicians. Meanwhile, people in crisis, including those stuck in jail awaiting mental health treatment, wait months—months—in emergency rooms or behind bars, sometimes worsening by the day. For those of us working in public health, justice, or community support, this isn’t just numbers; it’s our neighbors, our families, and our friends. With new laws increasing court-ordered treatment but no extra funding, are we ready to face the storm ahead? How is this playing out in your community?

We break this down every week in This Week in Public Health.

More court-ordered patients, fewer staffed beds and longer stays have strained a system struggling to keep up with demand for treatment.

02/20/2026

Our healthcare system is drowning because we forgot: It’s chronic disease, stupid!*
We’ve designed health care to respond to emergencies, but now the biggest challenge is supporting millions living with chronic conditions every day. Too often, their needs fall through the cracks, leaving families overwhelmed and hospitals overflowing. But there’s hope—team-based care that anticipates problems can transform lives and ease system strain. As public health professionals and advocates, how are you seeing chronic care gaps play out in your community?


We break this down every week in This Week in Public Health.

People living with complex chronic conditions are poorly served by our health-care system, which was designed to care for acute illness.

02/20/2026

America’s top public health agency is now led by a vaccine skeptic—what does that mean for us all?

Over the past year, the CDC and other key health institutions have seen experts pushed out and anti-vaccine rhetoric pushed in. Meanwhile, measles outbreaks grow, and lifesaving medical research stalls. What happens when science takes a backseat to politics in public health? For those of us working to protect communities, this feels like a setback with real human costs.

How is your community responding to these challenges? We break this down every week in This Week in Public Health.

In choosing a leading vaccine critic to run the CDC, the HHS secretary continues to endanger public health

02/20/2026

Precision medicine is racing past $120 billion—are we ready to truly transform patient care?

The tools that make treatment personal—genomics, AI, and multi-layer data—are advancing faster than ever. For public health pros, clinicians, and advocates, this means new hope but also new challenges: How do we ensure these breakthroughs reach every community, not just a privileged few? Are we ready to build systems that turn data into equitable care?

How is your community preparing for this leap in personalized health? We break this down every week in This Week in Public Health.

BANGALORE, India, Feb. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- What is the Market Size of Precision Medicine Research and Development Platform?

02/19/2026

Everyday public health decisions can shape how well, and how long, we live. New research suggests that cooking with wood, coal, or kerosene may be linked to disrupted sleep among older adults, while U.S. data reveal that social and economic factors like food security and education explain a meaningful share of racial and ethnic gaps in healthy sleep. Another study uncovers how millions of unused COVID-19 vaccine doses were missed opportunities to prevent deaths. - https://mailchi.mp/pubtrawlr.com/cooking-fuels-college-diets-and-wasted-vaccines

02/19/2026

Concerned about how immigration enforcement affects your family’s health?

In places like the Twin Cities and Dallas, aggressive ICE activity at hospitals is making many immigrants too scared to get routine care and vaccines—leading to fewer doctor visits and lower vaccination rates that can harm community health. Some clinics are stepping in with home visits and support, but fear still keeps many away.

How do you think healthcare can stay safe and welcoming for everyone, no matter their background? Follow for clear, evidence-based public health science updates.

By Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN (CNN) — As the Trump administration continues its immigration crackdown across the US, health care providers warn the