Sponsored by the AAI Committee on Public Affairs
Chairs:
- Ross M. Kedl, Univ. of Colorado Anschutz Sch. of Med., AAI Committee on Public Affairs Chair
- Kristin A. Hogquist, Univ. of Minnesota Ctr. for Immunology
Speakers:
- A. Nicole Clowers, M.P.A., U.S. Government Accountability Office, Evaluating the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Leandris Liburd, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.A., Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, CDC, Advancing health equity: Addressing COVID-19 health disparities
- Katherine Wu, Ph.D., The Atlantic, The importance of understanding human behavior in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest public health crisis that the United States has faced in the last 100 years. In some ways, the U.S. rose to the challenge, with several vaccines against COVID-19 developed and approved (under Emergency Use Authorizations by the Food and Drug Administration) in record-shattering speed, and with more vaccine candidates showing promise. But undeniable shortcomings hampered the response, from an insufficient supply of personal protective equipment to inadequate testing and contact tracing, to confusing – or incorrect – communications from federal agencies and officials. This session will dive deeper into some of the strengths and weaknesses, past and present, of the U.S. response and explore the challenges that lie ahead for combating the current pandemic and for better positioning our nation to prevent – or respond to – the next one. AAI will welcome a distinguished panel of experts to discuss these crucial topics and answer audience questions.
