“One thing about this outbreak that perhaps sets it apart from many of the other outbreaks is the level of misinformation and disinformation that has been shared, for various reasons,” says Dr. Berrey.
Says Dr. Berrey, “The scientific community has a responsibility to help people understand what we’re trying to do and to share information about the risks, vaccinations and potential treatments. We provide the rationale for the correct response, which focuses on how people can protect themselves and help reduce panic and overreaction to a new threat.”
Webinar Questions
Dr. Michelle Berrey: We are hopeful that we will have data coming out later in 2020 and early 2021 that shows the safety across a broad patient population including children, the elderly and patients with pre-existing conditions and concomitant issues that may put them at increased risk. We need to understand the safety profile, and we need to have longer-term follow-up. There will be a high bar for safety, which means we will have to wait longer for robust data. It comes down to modeling. We in the public health and scientific community need to model good behavior, and that includes encouraging people to get the vaccine and pushing the data out there.
Claudia Christian: I think there is a lot of opportunity for us to implement positive change. People who do this kind of work on a regular basis most likely have established relationships globally. The key is leveraging those relationships and the trust that we've developed. We've been there, we are there, and we're going to be there with these governments and with these people wherever they are in the world. Wherever you can impact and affect change and encourage, we are going to share information alongside you, to offer a solution and support. We want to be part of the answer. There are many of us that do our work because of our passion. If we act in this way, I think it really can make a difference.
