Pandemic shows need to invest in public health protections

From the Capitol Weekly
May 26, 2021

One thing we have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that there is an immense need to invest in public health and disease prevention tools before there is another widespread outbreak. While we cannot fix the past, we do have an opportunity to ensure California residents are protected from debilitating and deadly diseases in the future.

Our changing climate has enabled the spread of invasive mosquitoes capable of transmitting exotic viruses such as Zika, dengue, and yellow fever. According to the California Department of Public Health, over the last ten years, invasive Aedes mosquitoes have spread to more than 300 cities and towns in 22 California counties. They are different from those that are found naturally in California in that they exploit small, often unnoticed water sources and thrive in people’s backyards and patios—areas where intervention by mosquito and vector control districts is costly and time-consuming.

Read more