California’s first surgeon general on Covid: ‘Greatest collective trauma’ of a generation

Dr Nadine Burke Harris is an expert on how childhood trauma can affect health. That proved to be valuable expertise during the pandemic

When Dr Nadine Burke Harris was first appointed California surgeon general, she set out to address the toxic stress and trauma plaguing the state's most vulnerable residents.

Then the pandemic hit. Suddenly, she found herself having to guide millions through statewide shutdowns, and persuade scared, skeptical Californians to get vaccinated against Covid-19 and wear masks to prevent the virus' spread.