FROM THE DEAN

How would you sum up 2020 in one word? It’s a difficult question; even the lexicographers of the venerable Oxford English Dictionary had to bend their usual “Word of the Year” guidelines to find an answer. Instead of choosing just one winner that reflects “the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of that particular year,” the lexicographers selected dozens of words that capture the tumultuous and rapidly changing landscape of the past 12 months.

The words of the year include “COVID-19,” “social distancing,” and “lockdown,” along with “systemic racism,” “BIPOC,” “mailin,” and “QAnon.” Public health terms such as “R number,” “community spread,” and “flattening the curve” also made their way into the spotlight.

But as we know, a great deal of public health work takes place behind the scenes. This issue of InSight takes a closer look at the efforts of public health students who are working at the county level as COVID-19 contact tracers. Communicating by phone with people who test positive for the coronavirus, these student workers play an important role in curbing transmission of SARS-CoV-2, all while gaining practical career skills.

Another vital but often unseen segment of the pandemic workforce is fatalities management workers—all of the occupations that tend to those who die from COVID-19. These “last responders” face just as many risks as frontline workers, yet often lack services to help them cope with stress and trauma. A new CPH partnership aims to give these workers a voice and the support they need.

You’ll also learn about how the Native Center for Behavioral Health is supporting Native communities and behavioral health workers through the pandemic.

Although it has been a difficult and overwhelming year (it’s no wonder new words like “infodemic” and “doomscrolling” entered our vocabulary), I’d like to offer a much more optimistic word to mark the start of 2021: “hope.” A number of alumni, faculty, and students recently shared where they’re finding hope in their areas of public health starting on page 6.

Wishing you health for the New Year,

Edith Parker