Roundtable to discuss response to coronavirus, new pandemics

“Coronavirus: Are We Prepared?” is the title of the latest roundtable discussion held by the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy. Staff, faculty and students are invited to attend the discussion, which will be moderated by Dr. Heather Axen and Dr. Anne Reid, both assistant professors of the Department of Biology and Biomedical Sciences.

The emergence of the novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan, China, began making headlines on Dec. 31, 2019. In the weeks that followed, the world watched as the virus spread and health officials worked to contain the outbreak.

While the 2% fatality rate of the 2019-nCoV has not approached that of its cousins like SARS (~14%) and MERS-CoV (~34%), the number of people infected by the 2019-nCoV has far exceeded that of these previous viruses. While the 2019-nCoV is deadlier than this year’s circulating influenza strains, Americans are more likely to contract and die from the flu. But as the virus spreads, so does public fear.

In this roundtable discussion, the roundtable discussion will examine the current pandemic and the broader questions it has raised like: Are we prepared to deal with emerging diseases? Where do these viruses come from? What contributes to their spread? What can be done to minimize the likelihood of new pandemics? How can we keep the public informed without triggering panic and hysteria?

This roundtable will be held on Friday, Feb. 21, at 11:45 a.m. in Miley Hall, Executive Dining Room. Roundtable discussions are open to anyone at Salve Regina University, and the Pell Center will provide a free lunch. Space is limited, so please RSVP by contacting the Pell Center at pellcenter@salve.edu or 401-341-2927.

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