COEH Builds Bridges: Interdisciplinary & Ethical Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
 
Course Agenda
The live, virtual event from 1:00 - 4:30 PM Pacific will center around panel discussions, Q&A, and interactive breakout sessions. Presentation recordings will be made available in advance for on-demand viewing, and will also be streamed the morning of February 11th & February 12th, from 10 AM - 12 PM Pacific, prior to the synchronous event. All registrants will receive presentation and session recordings following the event.
 
Please note: agenda subject to change.
 

Thursday, February 11: Interdisciplinary Action to Protect Workers

Presentation Recordings (2 Contact Hours):
Available on-demand starting Friday, February 5th. Live stream from 10AM - 12PM Pacific on Thursday, February 11th.
  • Respiratory Protection & Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Among San Francisco Firefighters and Emergency Responders with Megan Grant, RN, NP, University of California San Francisco and Arlene Nunez, San Francisco Fire Department

    This presentation will discuss the experience of the San Francisco Fire Department during the COVID-19 Pandemic, particularly during the first 6 months of the pandemic. We found strikingly low Seroprevalence among firefighters and emergency responders and high levels of reported PPE use. Also unique was our orthogonal testing methodology to confirm positive results in a low prevalence population.
     
  • Emergency Legislation & Cal/OSHA Regulations to Protect Workers from COVID-19 with Michael Wilson, PhD, MPH, Cal/OSHA

    This presentation will describe key elements of the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS), and explore evidence demonstrating disproportionate mortality in certain occupational groups by race and ethnicity. Learners will also examine the role of emergency legislation and regulations to protect workers.
     
  • Virtual Ergonomics Evaluations: Home Office Errors & Common Symptoms with Melissa Afterman, MS-HFE, CPE, Learn Ergo, UC Ergonomics Research & Graduate Training Program

    This presentation will explore employer responsibility in relation to home office ergonomics and how to modify an ergonomics program to include virtual evaluations. Learners will be presented with case studies highlighting common home office ergonomic mistakes and symptoms, and identify strategies to mitigate risk, prevent injury, and optimize worker performance.
     
  • The "Other" Essential Workers: Implementation and Impact of COVID-19 Prevention on the Health of Unionized Grocery Workers with Sadie Costello, PhD, MPH, University of California Berkeley; Jim Araby, UFCW Local 5; and Matt Bell, UFCW 324

    Despite the central role grocery stores play in our daily lives, virtually no research has been conducted to understand the impact of COVID-19 interventions on the health of workers. This presentation will explore findings from a survey of over 1000 Californian grocery store workers, collected through a collaborative research effort between academic researchers and a major union. Learners will discuss the physical and mental health risk for workers in grocery stores during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the implementation of protective practices in during the summer of 2020. 
     
  • Fostering Occupational Health Equity: Strategies for Practice with Jacqueline Sivén, PhD, MA, MPH, CPH, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    This presentation will discuss the value of an occupational health equity approach to reducing health inequalities in high risk worker populations. Learners will explore the impact of social and economic factors on work-related disease and illness via case studies. 

     

Synchronous Session (3 Contact Hours):

1:00 PM - 1:05 PM: Welcome & Introduction

1:05 PM - 2:00 PM: Interdisciplinary Research Panel Discussion and Q&A with Sadie Costello, PhD, MPH; UFCW Western States Council; Megan Grant, RN, NP; and Arlene Nunez

2:00 PM - 2:10 PM: Break

2:10 PM - 2:50 PM: Fostering Occupational Health Equity Discussion & Activity with Jacqueline Sivén, PhD, MPH, CPH

2:50 PM - 3:00 PM: Break

3:00 PM - 3:40 PM: Emergency Legislation and Regulations to Protect Workers Panel Discussion with Maggie Robins, MPH, Worksafe; Barbara Materna, PhD, CIH, CDPH; Richard E. Fairfax, BS, MA, National Safety Council (NSC); and Khalid Kaldi, One Fair Wage; moderated by Laura Stock, MPH, Labor Occupational Health Program

3:40 PM - 3:50 PM: Break

3:50 PM - 4:30 PM: Virtual Ergonomics Evaluations Activity and Q&A with Melissa Afterman, MS-HFE, CPE

 

Friday, February 12: Ethical Response When Addressing the Scientific Unknown

Presentation Recordings (2 Contact Hours):
Available on-demand starting Friday, February 5th. Live stream from 10AM - 12 PM Pacific on Friday, February 12th.

  • Pandemic Preparedness and Response: Implications for Infectious Disease Research with Helen Chu, MD, University of Washington

    This presentation will explore the connection and application of epidemiological research to clinical care. Learners will examine The Seattle Flu Study as a case-study, and discuss how to rapidly pivot public health practices and policies in response to emerging infectious diseases.
     
  • The State Of U.S. Public Opinion On COVID-19 Vaccination with Liz Hamel, Kaiser Family Foundation

    This presentation will explore latest evidence from public opinion surveys about the U.S. public's attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with COVID-19 vaccinations. Learners will review what is known about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy confidence, hesitancy, and enthusiasm, as well as which messengers the public most trusts for information on the vaccine, and which messages are most likely to be effective at combating misinformation and vaccine hesitancy.
     
  • Masking, Messaging, and Harm Reduction in the COVID-19 Pandemic with Monica Gandhi, MD, MPH, University of California San Francisco

    Face masks decrease COVID-19 transmission and may also lead to more mild or asymptomatic disease if infected by reducing the viral inoculum to which the wearer is exposed. Data on the relationship between viral dose and infectivity will be explored. In the face of pandemic fatigue and a highly polarized political landscape in the U.S., a discussion of public health messaging for COVID-19 using harm reduction principles from HIV, sexual health and addiction medicine will also be discussed.
     
  • N95DECON: International Research Collaboration During COVID-19 with David Rempel, MD, MPH, University of California San Francisco and Nichole Starr, MD, MPH, University of California San Francisco

    Pop-up international research collaborations are not common, but they occurred at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in response to the lockdown at universities and the desire of researchers to contribute what they could to protect the public. N95DECON was one such collaboration. At its height, N95DECON involved 120 researchers, faculty, post-docs and students from universities around the world. This presentation will discuss how the organization formed, goals were determined, communications were structured, and decisions were made. Learners will also explore how scientific reviews were conducted and translated into reports, factsheets, videos, and scientific publications; and what happened to the organization as researchers returned to their laboratories and usual activities. Lessons from this experience can inform future collaborative research projects.
     
  • Post-COVID Syndrome: Recognition, Diagnosis, and Treatment with Christian Sandrock, MD, MPH, FCCP, University of California Davis

    Providers need to be on high alert for symptoms of Post-COVID Syndrome, which are non-classic and continue to evolve. This presentation will provide an update on how to recognize long term symptoms of COVID-19 and how to plan a comprehensive approach to patient care. Learners will also discuss equity of care and the importance of identifying and treating post-COVID syndrome in underrepresented minority (URM) populations. 


Synchronous Session (3 Contact Hours):

1:00 PM - 1:05 PM: Welcome & Introduction

1:05 PM - 1:35 PM: Pandemic Preparedness and Response: Implications for Infectious Disease Research Q&A with Helen Chu, MD

1:35 PM - 2:05 PM: Post-COVID Syndrome Q&A with Christian Sandrock, MD, MPH, FCCP

2:05 PM - 2:15 PM: Break

2:15 PM - 3:00 PM: Harm Reduction Q&A with Monica Gandhi, MD, MPH; Small Group Discussion

3:00 PM - 3:10 PM: Break

3:10 PM - 3:50 PM: Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy Panel Discussion and Q&A with Liz Hamel, KFF; Robert Harrison, MD, MPH, California Department of Public Health, University of California San Francisco; and Julie Dang, PhD, MPH, University of California Davis; Small Group Discussion

3:50 PM - 4:00 PM: Break

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Research Collaboration Q&A with David Rempel, MD, MPH, and Nichole Starr, MD, MPH