Health Policy & Advocacy is Focus of New Podcast Hosted by UA Alumna | Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health

Policy is one of the most powerful tools public health professionals have to effect positive health changes at a community level.

Krista R. Cardenas, MPH, a senior instructional specialist for the Western Region Public Health Training Center at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and alumna, is the creator and host of the new podcast Arizona Common Ground (AZCG), an eight episode educational podcast series that will take listeners through the legislative process of how a bill is passed in Arizona. 

Listen to the Arizona Common Ground Podcast.

Journal Article of the Week

Association of State-Issued Mask Mandates and Allowing On-Premises Restaurant Dining with County-Level COVID-19 Case and Death Growth Rates

Universal masking and avoiding nonessential indoor spaces are recommended to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Mandating masks was associated with a decrease in daily COVID-19 case and death growth rates within 20 days of implementation. Allowing on-premises restaurant dining was associated with an increase in daily COVID-19 case growth rates 41–100 days after implementation and an increase in daily death growth rates 61–100 days after implementation.

Mask mandates and restricting any on-premises dining at restaurants can help limit community transmission of COVID-19 and reduce case and death growth rates. These findings can inform public policies to reduce community spread of COVID-19.