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Who the Health Cares? with Prof Michael Sparer

Who the Health Cares? with Prof Michael Sparer

How Decisions Get Made During Public Health Disasters

May 5, 2026 · 33m

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On this episode

About this episode

The work of public health often becomes most visible when our systems are under the greatest strain. From hurricanes to pandemics, crises test not only our ability to respond, but also the strength, flexibility and fairness of the systems we rely on every day. In this episode, Michael sits down with Mitch Stripling, Director of the New York City Preparedness and Recovery Institute, to discuss the role of emergency preparedness and response within our public health system. Drawing on decades of experience responding to disasters across the country, Mitch explains how emergency response systems are supposed to work and why they sometimes fail. He also reflects on what the COVID-19 pandemic…