As states across the nation grapple with the escalating challenges of public health emergencies, particularly the rising threat of extreme weather events, a new report casts a spotlight on the readiness of state systems to protect the health of their residents.
Trust for America's Health hopes their latest called Ready or Not 2024: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism is a wake-up call, especially for those in Texas or any of the other 15 states that didn't exactly ace their report card on being ready for public health emergencies.
This isn't just about stocking up on hand sanitizer or having a few extra face masks lying around. This is about bigger issues, like being prepared for extreme weather, which is becoming more of the norm than the exception these days.
"The question is, how well prepared is your state to protect health during an emergency? And what are the state's strengths and weaknesses?" says Rhea Farberman, report co-author and Director of Strategic Communications and Policy Research at Trust for America's Health.
Texas, unfortunately, found itself hanging out in the not-so-great company of the low-tier states.
The reasons?
Texas got dinged for slashing public health funds in 2023, not having its act together on public health or emergency preparedness accreditation, and for a flu shot rate that's not exactly brag-worthy.
"Making sure that public health funding increases and it's sustained and consistent is really important," Farberman adds. "Your flu vaccination rate is 43% for state residents. That's lower than the national average, which is 49%."
But it's not all doom and gloom. The report threw in some recommendations, like making sure public health systems have the cash they need and pushing for policies that let people take paid time off when they're sick to keep everyone else healthy.
Texas does get a pat on the back for giving 63% of workers paid time off.
"And that's important because if you're sick, you shouldn't have to make the tough decision between losing pay and going to work sick and risking spreading the infection within the workplace and within the community," Farberman points out.
Now, because it's getting hot out there, literally, the report is also pushing for plans to handle extreme heat.
"We're having more extreme heat in this country. We're having it at a higher duration," Farberman says. "And in places where it typically did not experience extreme heat to this degree before. And extreme heat can have very serious health implications, particularly for populations who are at higher risk."
Farberman is all about getting ready for those heat waves and making sure communities have what they need to stay healthy, like access to healthcare, stable housing, and good food.
"A healthy community is gonna be more resilient during an emergency, and it's gonna be more able to recover after an emergency," Farberman concludes.
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