In early January, I traveled from the suburbs of Austin to the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) as a student researcher to test an app that would expand the outreach of healthcare. Despite being in the same state, the RGV’s distinctive culture seemed a world away. I journaled my observations and interactions in the town, and when I returned home, I…
Eleven months: after the first SARS-CoV-2 case in December 2019, pharmaceutical research and development produced an effective vaccine in November 2020. The speed of this timeline is unmatched in human history, as typically, vaccines take more than a decade to develop. Yet, science is only the first link of the public health chain. The next steps, comprising equitable distribution and…