COVID-19 Public Health Webinar Series

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Previous Webinars in the Series

COVID-19 Public Health Webinar Series

Join College faculty and invited guests from Mason and other leading institutions to examine COVID-19 and its impact. 


Understanding Adolescent Behaviors and Attitudes to Help Fight COVID
December 16, 2020
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Young people account for the majority of known COVID-19 infections but the elderly account for most of the deaths. How does this disparity between COVID infection rate and COVID mortality rates affect how adolescents think about the virus and how they approach public health measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing? Join experts as they discuss adolescent behavior and brain development and how adolescent brain development impacts their behaviors and attitudes related to the virus. The Webinar will cover how to engage young people in fighting COVID-19 and explore concerns such as mental health and substance abuse related to the pandemic.

COVID Stress Syndrome: Managing in the Midst of a Global Pandemic
Friday, December 11

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Pregnancy, Delivery and Newborn Care in the Era of COVID
November 11, 2020

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Since the start of the pandemic, knowledge has evolved about the implications of COVID-19 on the health of mothers and infants, however many questions still remain. Dr. Katherine Campbell and Dr. Rosemary Higgins will share findings on possible short and long-term implications for obstetrics and maternal health. Current guidance for pregnant women and their infants will be covered in this session. 

Forming Successful Learning Pods: Insights from Public Health and Education Technology Experts
September 2, 2020

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View the tipsheet for forming successful learning pods here (pdf)
 

As K-12 students head back to school in the coming weeks, many families are exploring the pros and cons of “learning pods” or “bubbles.” What should families take into consideration- from a health and a learning perspective- when deciding whether to pod or not? 

Social Justice: The Shifting Landscape of Essential Work During COVID-19
June 10, 2020

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The coronavirus pandemic has brought to the forefront the social justice issues that exist for workers in the U.S. In the DMV region, services deemed essential have included hospitals and healthcare facilities, public works, food handling services, social services, communications and technology, energy and automotive businesses, financial services, educational institutions, and transportation services. In industries where working from home and physical distancing are not possible, an immediate serious problem was the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and unsafe working conditions. The workers who are at highest risk in these industries often do not earn a living wage and do not have any or adequate health care or leave benefits. In an examination of the demographics of essential workers by industry, the Economic Policy Institute found that women make up the majority of essential workers in health care (76%) and government and community-based services (73%), and people of color make up the majority of essential workers in food and agriculture (50%) and in industrial, commercial, residential facilities and services (53%). 

Experts from four distinct community-based service industries - child care providers, mental health services, assisted living facilities, and domestic and intimate partner abuse services - will provide their perspectives about essential work and how their workforce has and will continue to be affected as states open up without a vaccine.

Rural Populations and Infectious Disease Transmission: Implications for COVID-19
June 2, 2020

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More than 15% of the US population lives in rural areas, and rural populations experience adverse health disparities due to a variety of contributing factors, such as differential access to healthcare and geographic barriers to receiving care. The geography of rural areas and the ways that people interact also influence the spread of infectious diseases. Much of what has been observed and documented has been for hard-hit urban areas. In order to provide context for rural areas, epidemiologists and network scientists will discuss the demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic factors that characterize rural populations, what has been observed for other infectious disease transmission in rural areas, and epidemiological modeling of COVID-19 transmission and applications for rural Virginia.

Weighing the Decision to Safely ‘Reopen’ Northern Virginia
May 28, 2020 

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In the near future state and local agencies, school systems, and universities in Northern Virginia will need to make decisions about how and when to resume “normal operations.” What factors should decision-makers take into consideration when finalizing plans to safely send people back to work, school, and play?  Is this a choice between public safety and economic recovery or is there another framework we should consider? What metrics, data, and other factors should be taken into consideration? And using these metrics, where are we now, in terms of readiness to “reboot the economy”?

COVID-19- Implications for Fetal, Neonatal, and Maternal Health
May 18, 2020

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Maternal and neonatal doctors discuss the implications of COVID-19 on the health of mothers and infants. Dr. Uma Reddy and Dr. Rosemary Higgins will discuss the possible short and long-term implications for obstetrics and maternal health. Based on limited data available from geographic locations who experienced early peaks in the disease, recommendations have been made but there is a lot to learn.  Current guidance for pregnant women and their infants will be covered in this session.