COVID-19 mitigation: What the evidence demonstrates is effective
The COVID-19 pandemic has continued for over two years. This talk, led by Dr David Jay Weber, will review the scientific evidence supporting recommended COVID-19 mitigation strategies, which can be divided into three categories:
- First, strategies developed specifically for COVID-19 prevention and supported by high-quality scientific studies, including universal pandemic precautions in healthcare facilities, masking and physical distancing when unmasked.
- Second, mitigation strategies standard in healthcare facilities that are especially important to prevent transmission of communicable diseases, including COVID-19, such as hand hygiene and surface disinfection.
- Finally, recommended COVID-19 mitigation strategies that lack supportive evidence, including improved ventilation, and Plexiglass barriers.
Speaker
Dr David Jay Weber has been on the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since 1985 where he is currently the Charles Addison and Elizabeth Ann Sanders Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Epidemiology in the UNC School of Medicine, and UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Dr Weber received his Bachelors of Arts (B.A.) degree from Wesleyan University in 1973, his Medical Degree (MD) from the University of California, San Diego in 1977, a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from Harvard University in 1985. He completed his medicine residency and infectious disease fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital in 1985.
He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease, Critical Care Medicine, and Preventive Medicine. Dr Weber serves as an Associate Chief Medical Officer and Medical Director of Infection Prevention for the UNC Medical Center. He serves as Medical Director of the NC Program in Infection Control and Epidemiology. He is the Secretary of the Board of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the Deputy Editor of Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.
Dr Weber has published more than 500 scientific papers in the peer-reviewed literature cited in PubMed and more than 650 total papers and chapters. He has trained more than 50 students with an MPH or PhD in Epidemiology. His research interests include the epidemiology of healthcare-associated infections, disinfection and sterilisation, new and emerging infectious diseases (highly communicable pathogens including SARS-CoV-2, newly emerging pathogens including Candida auris), response to biothreats, nontuberculous mycobacteria, control of drug resistant pathogens, immunisation practices (especially of healthcare personnel), zoonotic diseases, and epidemiology of tuberculosis.
Please note that the recording link will be listed on this page when available
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