COVID-19: Prevention, Protection and Possibilities

How was the COVID-19 vaccine developed so quickly, and what makes it safe and effective? What makes older adults vulnerable to viruses like COVID-19? When will it be safe to travel or visit unvaccinated people? Join some of UW Medicine’s leading specialists in immunology, geriatric medicine, vaccinology and infectious diseases to hear the answers to these questions and learn what the post-COVID future holds.

HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR IMMUNE HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH DURING COVID-19
Thursday, April 22 | Video available below

The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on the importance of mental health and raised questions about how immune systems work. At How to Support Your Immune Health and Mental Health During COVID-19, Dr. Thuan Ong, a geriatric medicine specialist at UW Medicine, will host a conversation with UW Medicine’s Dr. Mark Wener and Anne Browning, Ph.D., about how to care for your immune and mental health.

Speakers
Thuan D. Ong, MD, MPH, is a board-certified physician in geriatric medicine at Harborview Medical Center.
Anne Browning, Phd, is Assistant Dean for Well-Being at the UW School of Medicine, founding director of the UW Resilience Lab, and affiliate assistant professor in the UW College of Education.
Mark H. Wener, MD, is a board-certified physician and Director of Immunology at UW Medical Center.

UNDERSTANDING THE COVID-19 VACCINE
Tuesday, March 23 | Video available below

Have you wondered how vaccines are created and how they work? Are you curious how the COVID-19 vaccine was developed so quickly — and what makes it safe and effective? Join Dr. Deborah Fuller, a vaccinologist and microbiology professor at the UW School of Medicine, to explore the science behind RNA vaccines and what the future holds for vaccine technology.

Speaker
Professor Fuller is a vaccinologist and professor of microbiology at the UW School of Medicine.

COVID-19: ASK AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE DOCTOR
Friday, March 26 | Video available below

When will it be safe to travel again? Can you book that cruise next year? Is it safe to see your grandchildren if they have not been vaccinated? This is your chance to pose your questions to a panel of UW Medicine’s leading infectious disease experts.

Speakers
Seth Cohen, MD, MsC, is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Washington and the clinic chief of the Travel Medicine Clinic. He is also the medical director of infection prevention and employee health at UW Medical Center – Northwest.
Nandita Mani, MD, is a physician at UW Medical Center – Northwest and UW Fellow of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Abir “Abby” Hussein, MD, is a fellow in Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the UW School of Medicine.