Second-dose disarray with vaccine mishaps
Rachel Chason, Erin Cox and Jenna Portnoy, The Washington Post
Feb. 16, 2021
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Securing an appointment for a first dose of the coronavirus vaccine might feel like a victory.
But then there is round two.
Scarce supply of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines has stirred anxiety about whether the required second dose will be available. Different protocols in different jurisdictions - as well as several mishaps in recent weeks - have added to the frustration and concern in the greater Washington region.
Officials in Prince George s County are so worried about a shortage of second doses that they have held some first doses in reserve, slowing the pace of vaccinations - even though the federal government now automatically schedules its second-dose shipments. In Anne Arundel County, a data error temporarily disrupted shipments, forcing the abrupt cancellation of two second-dose clinics this month. In Harford County, a second-sh
joined the SBS Department in January 2021 as an Assistant Professor. Previously a faculty member at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, she received her ScD in Social Epidemiology at Harvard Chan and her postdoctoral fellowship training at the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Dr. Slopen’s research primarily focuses on the early life origins of health and health disparities, and her studies aim to identify modifiable risk and protective factors that can be targeted by interventions.
Could you tell us about your research background and your current projects?
I first got involved in research during my undergraduate training in psychology. From this introduction, I learned that I loved research and slowly found my way to public health. During my doctoral training I focused on psychiatric epidemiology, and as I became increasingly aware of the strong connections between mental and physical health my research interests broadened.