Rodney Rohde, SV, SM, MB (ASCP), FACSc: Wendy mentioned a childhood vaccination slippage. In the other part of my world that I work in, part of my research is antimicrobial resistance. We’ve also seen huge backslides in antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance because when we were going through all of these processes the past 2 years, at that beginning of the pandemic when patients were dying and we didn’t always have the time to do confirmatory testing to find out if it was true bacterial pneumonia vs SARS pneumonia, we often gave empirical antibiotics to patients to help make sure. We understood that. But the consequences of this massive pandemic and as it has went forward, not being a good solid vaccinated population, is that you still have to do those things. We have to get back. We’ve suffered in cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This pandemic has touched everything you can put your finger on in ways that many people don’t realize. Maybe we’re just now starting to see those ongoing effects.

Something I’ve learned in the past 10 or 15 years since I completed my research for my dissertation is meeting people where they are. I’m not a physician, so I’m not dealing with patients per se, but I’m dealing with the public. I’m sure JAM [Jacinda Abdul-Mutakabbir, PharmD] and others on this panel would agree that not everybody should always look like me or, to Madeline’s point, speak like me in a certain language. We need a massive calling for diversity in our professions across all areas, including testing, physicians, pharmacy, nurses, and physical therapists. You name it. We need people in allied health. If you’re listening and you have children or know people who are going to college, send them our way. We need these people, and we’re tired. We need more of you.

Wendy Wright, DNP, ANP-BC, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, FNAP: Yes, we’re tired.

Rodney Rohde, SV, SM, MB (ASCP), FACSc: We aren’t even talking about health care. The next pandemic is health care professional burnout. There are massive issues across all of our sectors. We’ll hold off on that. Perhaps that’ll be another sponsored panel someday, because that’s an ongoing crisis.

Transcript Edited for Clarity