Dr. Karen Landers of the Alabama Department of Public Health: Vaccines are a weapon against COVID-19

This story is part of AL.comfrom the series “21 Alabamians who made a difference in 2021”, highlighting the people who have made our state a better place to live this year. Stories in this series will be posted every weekday from December 5 to 31. Find all the stories in the series as published here, and discover the Alabamians who made the difference in 2020 by clicking here.

The coronavirus pandemic has propelled healthcare workers who would typically stay behind the scenes in the foreground. This is the case of Dr. Karen Landers, head of health at the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Landers, who has been with ADHD since 1982, has emerged as a key public figure as the state battles COVID-19. Her calm demeanor and straightforward responses have been a reassuring voice amid the changing healthcare landscape.

Here’s what she had to say about COVID, ADPH and another pandemic year:

How has ADPH’s role changed this year with the evolving COVID situation?

“My interest throughout my career has been in emerging infectious diseases, which has led me to be involved in training in this area for several years. As part of emergency preparedness, ADPH has implemented public health measures and responses, using emerging science and expert advice, to provide the best information to protect the citizens of the Alabama. “

How did access to vaccinations impact this?

“Access to safe, effective and free vaccines has provided the citizens of Alabama with a weapon to fight this virus. As part of my role, I was able to work with our immunization division to provide medical advice regarding vaccine administration and protocols. “

What is the main thing or (things) that you would like people to know about ADPH and its role in helping people in Alabama?

“Much of ADHD’s work in promoting and protecting the health of Alabama citizens goes unnoticed. However, ADPH is working diligently and daily to prevent disease in our condition. ADPH was able to use extensive previous experience to guide public health measures during this pandemic. “

Learn more about ADPH …

“Many diseases have been largely eradicated over the years thanks to public health measures. For example, we are not seeing large-scale foodborne outbreaks in Alabama due to preventative inspections conducted by public health environmentalists. Vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, are not observed due to the high rates of vaccination. Communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, are controlled and preventable. Continuous surveillance systems through public health epidemiology and laboratory work help detect diseases of concern. ADPH has strong public and private partnerships with academic medical centers, medical providers, hospitals, emergency management agencies, government entities, and many more to help protect the citizens of Alabama. These are just a few examples of how public health works. This wealth of knowledge has been invaluable in ADPH’s response to COVID 19. ”