NIEHS to Present Webinar on COVID-19 Prevention, Control in Schools
An upcoming webinar hosted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Worker Training Program will focus on occupational prevention and control of COVID-19 in schools. During the 90-minute webinar on Dec. 2, presenters will discuss the scientific basis for recommendations to prevent exposure to infectious agents in schools, highlight model programs, and address challenges related to ventilation, physical distancing, masks, and vaccine uptake. Participants will learn about current recommendations for prevention and control of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in schools; elements of school-based infection prevention and control programs; and how addressing the COVID-19 pandemic may affect future infectious disease threats in schools.
Panelists scheduled to appear include Joel Solomon, senior policy analyst at the National Education Association; Cory Worden, PhD (ABD), safety administrator, city-wide CBRNE advisor, and HR safety advisor to the Houston Health Department; Jen Worth, senior vice president of the American Association of Community Colleges; and Kanecia Zimmerman, MD, who is associate professor of pediatrics at Duke University Medical Center and co-chair of the ABC Science Collaborative.
Individuals interested in attending the webinar can register for free via Zoom.
Previous webinars in the NIEHS Worker Training Program series on COVID-19 include “Practical Considerations for Using Portable Air Cleaners to Prevent Transmission of Infectious Aerosols” and “The Paindemic: The Intersection between the COVID-19 Pandemic and Deaths of Despair”—both of which can be viewed on demand on the NIEHS website.
Related: A Synergist Webinar held on Sept. 13, 2021, brought together a panel of experts from diverse professional backgrounds to discuss practical measures schools can take to maintain a safe environment for students, teachers, and staff. A key theme of the webinar was that each school’s approach must be tailored to individual facilities. Read a recap in the October 2021 digital Synergist.