Dr. NADINE BURKE HARRIS: CALIFORNIA SURGEON GENERAL

Photo credit: Center for Youth Wellness

AS WE FACE OFF AGAINST CORONAVIRUS, MEET “THE JOYFUL WARRIOR,” DR. NADINE BURKE HARRIS CALIFORNIA’S FIRST SURGEON GENERAL

When faced with any battle, it is comforting to know that someone is on the inside, in the trenches, who has the tools, temperament, and abilities needed to get the job done and lead an army to victory. In our fight against the novel coronavirus, we have that person in Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California’s first Surgeon General. Burke Harris’ distinguished career has led her from her birth home in Jamaica to the Bay Area, where she treated individuals and families while pioneering research on the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on longterm health and wellness. She garnered the attention of Gavin Newsom, who was then San Francisco’s mayor. After Newsom ascended to the governor’s mansion, he recruited Burke Harris to his team in January 2019, appointing her as the first California Surgeon General. Neither could have known the public health challenges that marched toward them in the form of the novel coronavirus. En route to an early April briefing with the governor, Burke Harris checked in with THE HUB to set the record straight on a number of pernicious COVID-19-related myths. During our wide-ranging interview, she also stressed the need to heed recommendations and guidelines from the Centers For

Disease Control and Prevention so that we can, ultimately, put coronavirus behind us. “I will always be very transparent about what we know and what we don’t know,” Burke Harris assured. “We don’t have a lot of great data about the racial and ethnic breakdowns of infections and deaths related to COVID-19, but what we’re

OUR OFFICE HAS PUT TOGETHER A PLAYBOOK NOT ONLY FOR ADULTS,

BUT FOR KIDS AND

CAREGIVERS. By Contributing Writer, Michael P Coleman

seeing in a few areas around the country is that African Americans are over represented in COVID-19 cases.”

“One of the worst legacies of our health care establishment’s history of inhumane treatment of African Americans is the persistent mistrust and doubt that [it] has created,” Burke Harris continued. “We worry that the lack of trust within the African American community may be putting the black community at greater risk. When people of color hear about current guidelines, much of their mistrust is rooted in the history of what has happened in this nation. It’s a history that we have to work very hard to repair.”

“At the same time, it’s very, very important for black communities, and communities of color in general, to be aware that this is not a hoax. There has been a myth circulating that black people don’t get coronavirus. That myth is totally false! If Idris Elba is not enough to convince folks that black people get coronavirus...we do! So stay home, and practice strict social distancing. It’s up to us to care for our communities by staying connected, by staying home.”

When Burke Harris gets fired up, it is easy to see how she has been so successful in transforming the lives of the individuals and families in her care. And she is as passionate about wearing face coverings as she is about social distancing — and following all of the CDC’s coronavirus guidelines.

Photo credit: Center for Youth Wellness

“And then, schools are out so kids are at home. Parents who weren’t stressed out before…have a lot more on their plate, dealing with a kid who’s bouncing off of the walls. If they’re fortunate enough to be able to work from home, they may be dealing with a real economic distress. So we’re seeing heightened stress for everyone.”

“Our office has put together a playbook not only for adults, but for kids and caregivers. It’s a clear, straightforward set of guidance to mitigate the stress and reduce the risk of not only child maltreatment but intimate partner violence, substance abuse, mental health concerns, and even physical violence. Toolkits are available at covid19.ca.gov.”

THE HUB MAGAZINE | 9 | SPRING 2020 “The CDC has recommended that lay people wear face coverings when they leave the house,” Burke Harris said. “The reason that the recommendation to wear masks did not come earlier is there’s a worry that the lay public will… start competing to buy surgical masks and N95 masks, and that folks will be vulnerable to scams.” “We’re asking folks to leave the surgical masks and the N95 masks for our health care workers who are on the front lines, and that they wear face coverings in public. They can make those at home, or repurpose those that they’ve used before — it can even be a bandana. But wear a face covering when you’re out in public. That’s the latest guidance.” With the coronavirus challenge, Burke Harris has had to apply her decades-long work on the longterm effects of ACEs to the current global pandemic. “Everyone is stressed out because of the virus,” Burke Harris said. “On top of that, we’re seeing increased distress for many people as they’re losing their livelihoods, getting laid off, because of the necessary public heath measures that are required to stop this pandemic.” As Burke Harris and I wrapped up our chat, I felt the need to check in with her and make sure she was ok, as first months in her new role have been a trial by fire, to say the least. She assured THE HUB that she has a great support system in place — as we all should have. “Working for government is a little like working in a foreign country…or maybe on another planet,” Burke Harris laughed. “It’s a new experience! It’s a steep learning curve in terms of understanding the rules of the road and how to be successful. That said, Governor Newsom has been nothing but supportive of me and our work, and the initiatives that we’ve been moving forward.” “I call myself ‘The Joyful Warrior.’ The work’s not necessarily easy, but it’s well worth it!” n

Access comprehensive toolkits for managing coronavirus — for individuals, caregivers, and children — at https://covid19.ca.gov/ manage-stress-for-health/#top Connect with freelance writer Michael P Coleman at MichaelPColeman.com.