What is endemicity? What are the shared goals of COVID-19 response?

Boston University’s Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy and Research (CEID) and Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs will co-host a seminar “What is endemicity? What are the shared goals of COVID-19 response?” with speakers Dr. William Hanage, Dr. Celine Gounder and Dr. Rodgers Ayebare. Opening remarks will be provided by CEID Founding Director Dr. Nahid Bhadelia and the seminar will be moderated by CEID Adjunct Faculty Dr. Syra Madad.

Date: Wednesday March 9, 2022 1:00-2:00 pm EST

Location: Virtual

Click here to register

This public discussion will explore questions such as:  

  • How do we differentiate between epidemic and endemic phases, and why does this matter?
  • What factors contribute or detract from COVID-19 crisis receding? (variants, vaccines, treatments, population demographics, longevity of immunity)
  • Are there signs can we look for to herald that COVID-19 is no longer in a pandemic phase?
  • What would a world with endemic COVID-19 look like? Should that be our goal? How do we make sure such endemicity reflects better health equity in the long run?
  • Are there active roles that we each as average citizens can play in moving collectively towards reducing impact of COVID-19 in the long term?
  • What can we do to address societal hope for a ‘new normal’ amidst a great deal of pandemic fatigue that currently exists?

Featured Speakers

Dr. Bill Hanage

Associate Professor of Epidemiology
Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health

 

 

Dr. Celine Gounder

Senior Fellow and Editor-at-Large for Public Health, Kaiser Health News
Infectious Disease Specialist and Epidemiologist, NYU and Bellevue Hospital
Host of the Epidemic and American Diagnosis podcasts

 

Dr. Rodgers Ayebare

Infectious Diseases Scientist, Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda