{"id":1007,"date":"2021-09-10T20:40:53","date_gmt":"2021-09-11T00:40:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesspartners2convince.org\/?p=1007"},"modified":"2021-10-05T20:42:21","modified_gmt":"2021-10-06T00:42:21","slug":"verywell-health-ratzan-quoted-in-a-new-federal-office-will-address-climate-change-as-a-public-health-issue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesspartners2convince.org\/verywell-health-ratzan-quoted-in-a-new-federal-office-will-address-climate-change-as-a-public-health-issue\/","title":{"rendered":"Verywell Health: Ratzan Quoted in “A New Federal Office Will Address Climate Change as a Public Health Issue”"},"content":{"rendered":"
BP2C Executive Director Dr. Scott Ratzan was quoted in a September 1, 2021 by Claire Wolters in Verywell Health titled, “A New Federal Office Will Address Climate Change as a Public Health Issue.<\/a>” The Biden administration established the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE), the first office of its kind at the national level. Authorities said people who are most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic will be the same groups struggling with the health impacts of climate change. Experts say climate change remains the \u201cbiggest threat\u201d to public health.<\/h5>\n

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Monday established a new office to address the burden climate change places on public health, particularly on vulnerable groups.<\/p>\n

The Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE), the first of its kind to address climate change and health equity at a national level, was outlined by an\u00a0executive order<\/a>\u00a0from President Joe Biden in January.<\/p>\n

Scott C. Ratzan, MD,<\/a> an expert in health communication at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, says that the new office is an essential step in tackling environmental health issues and inequities exposed by the pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happens in health care is not solely determined by medical care,\u201d Ratzan tells Verywell. \u201cAll the social determinants and environmental determinants have been clear in what we’ve been trying to deal with for years, in international treaties and so forth. So now it makes even more sense that the U.S. would put this front and center.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pandemic has highlighted health disparities among vulnerable communities in the U.S., many of which will be the same groups affected by climate change, HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel L. Levine said in a\u00a0press release<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will use the lessons learned from COVID-19 to address these disparities, prioritizing and protecting the nation\u2019s health,\u201d Levine said.<\/p>\n

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What Will OCCHE Do?<\/h3>\n
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Some of OCCHE\u2019s responsibilities include:<\/p>\n