News from the School of Public Health

These are not normal times. On one public health front, we continue to struggle with COVID-19 infection rates, increasing deaths, and the implementation of a vaccination program. But public health action goes well beyond the response to an infectious disease pandemic.

Nature has several benefits that impact a person’s overall well-being, according to a new research article, NatureRx@UMD: A Review for Pursuing Green Space as a Health and Wellness Resource for the Body, Mind, and Soul.

School of Public Health faculty experts racked up thousands of news clips this calendar year. The interviews and stories mostly focused on helping the public understand the pandemic threat and how to stay safe and healthy, correcting misinformation whenever possible and sharing the latest science on COVID-19 transmission and vaccine development. 

The university celebrated the accomplishments of our graduates in a virtual commencement ceremony on Sunday, December 20. The main ceremony can be viewed on the UMD Facebook and YouTube channels. Graduates are encouraged to share their photos and memories on social media using #UMDgrad. SPH graduates should also use #publichealthTerps and tag @UMDPublicHealth. See Public Health Terps' photos and reflections and join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram!

2020 sparked the Black Lives Matter movement into a global force with the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor amid the Covid-19 pandemic. 

While a COVID-19 vaccine could be available in a matter of weeks, offering much-needed hope at the end of a grim and challenging year, a University of Maryland expert urges public health leaders and other authorities to begin communicating about the approval process and the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness right away.