There were "bright spots" in the Covid-19 pandemic that state and local public health departments could learn from, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"Although it can be difficult to focus on positive outcomes given the immense loss experienced during the pandemic, these bright spots offer valuable learning opportunities that can inform ongoing emergency response planning and system improvement," the study's authors say in a press release.
The researchers asked public health employees about their experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic and found that, "in addition to ensuring that leaders are competent and have training in strategic thinking and change management is essential to leading their health departments during crisis events," they also found that workers experienced positive experiences with leadership, on-the-job learning, and teamwork and collaboration, according to the study.
"The experiences and new skills acquired by governmental public health employees...
who served in the pandemic response should be recognized by public health leadership when considering employees for career development and promotional opportunities," the study's authors say.
The study's authors say that public health agencies can learn from these "bright spots" by making sure employees are provided public health communication training during non-emergency response periods and by promoting a safe and supportive work environment.
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