NYC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT'S LATEST 'PREP TALK' EPISODE TAKES A LOOK AT INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Special Health Department guest discusses measles, the flu virus and the City's work with HIV

#PrepTalkNYC {Click to listen to episode 26}

February 19, 2019 — The best way to prevent the measles is to get the vaccine. That is the message Dr. Demetre Daskalakis — Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Disease Control at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene — has for listeners on the latest episode of "Prep Talk." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been 127 confirmed cases of measles in 10 states across the country from January 1 to February 14, 2019. In this episode, Dr. Daskalakis debunks myths about the measles, provides vaccination tips for travelers, pregnant women and parents of newborns, and explains why two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine are better than one. The episode also takes a close look at influenza and the best methods of preventing the virus, the steps Dr. Daskalakis his team are taking to end the HIV epidemic in New York City. For more information about the measles, flu virus, and other infectious diseases, visit NYC.gov/health or www.cdc.gov. You can listen to the latest episode on SoundCloud, iTunes, and Spreaker, and subscribe now to stay up-to-date on the latest episodes.

Profile
Demetre Daskalakis, MD, MPH is the Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Disease Control at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Dr. Daskalakis directs the public health laboratory and all infectious disease control programs for New York City, including HIV, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections, vaccine-preventable diseases, and general communicable diseases. His division is one of the largest in the department, employing more than 1,100 staff, managing more than $350 million, and operating 14 clinical facilities.

Dr. Daskalakis received his medical education from NYU School of Medicine and completed his residency training in 2003 at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He also completed Clinical Infectious Disease fellowships at the Brigham and Women's | Massachusetts General Hospital combined program. He received his Masters of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. He has been a career-long physician activist in the area of HIV treatment and prevention among LGBT people.

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