Webinars

Description: In this session, 3 specialists provide their perspectives on the impact of COVID-19 in the pediatric population in 3 talks. The session concludes with a brief Q&A.

1. Worldwide impact in children under 18 years of age: infection and severity
2. The role of children in transmission
3. Multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children

Speakers: 

1. Susanna Esposito – Full Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Pediatric Clinic at University of Parma, President of the World Association for Infectious Diseases and Immunological Disorders

1. Juan Pablo Torres – Pediatric Infectious Diseases, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of Innovation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile
2. Marco Aurélio Palazzi Sáfadi MD, PhD – Pediatric Division Head, Santa Casa de São Paulo School of Medical Sciences

Moderators: 

1. Mark Cotton – Distinguished Professor at Stellenbosch University, President of WSPID.
2. Miguel O’Ryan MD – Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Advisor for Covid19 to the Health and Science and Technology Ministries, Chile, Coordinator International Scientific Committee WCPID.

Description: Record numbers of children and youth are not attending school because of closures mandated by governments in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. The impact and effectiveness of these measures are the subject of this free WSPID webinar: Schools in the COVID-19 era – to be or not to be?

Join us for presentations and a panel discussion on the best available evidence on the role of school closure and opening in the present and future of the pandemic.

Speakers:

1. Dr Archana Koirala MBChB, MIPH, FRACP: Available evidence on the issue of schools as a driver for epidemic spread.
2. Prof Ameena Goga, FP(Paed), PhD: In-depth analysis of delaying school physical presence on psychological/emotional/social aspects of children.

Moderators:

1. Prof Fiona Russell, BMBS GradDip (Clin Epi) Dip Paeds MPHTM FRACP PhD
2. Mark Cotton, MD, PhD

Panelists:

1. Professor Kristine Macartney
2. Dr Archana Koirala MBChB, MIPH, FRACP
3. Prof Ameena Goga, FP(Paed), PhD

Description: Presentations and a Q&A on the different COVID-19 vaccine platforms and an update on the stage of clinical development

Speakers:

1.  Miguel O’Ryan – Full Professor, Faculty of Medicine University of Chile, Member Covid19 Vaccine Committee, Ministry of Science, Chile, and President International Scientific Committee WSPID 2019/2021.  Update on COVID-19 vaccine platforms and current stage of clinical development.
2.  Walter Orenstein – Associate Director of the Emory Vaccine Center, Former Director, United States Immunization Program, and a former Assistant Surgeon General of the United States.  Overview of current vaccine rollout plans.

Description: Presentations and a Q&A on ‘The changing epidemiology of respiratory viral infections in the COVID-19 pandemic’ with special guest Nobel Laureate Professor Peter Doherty (Australia).

Speakers:

1. Is SARS-COV-2 really a respiratory infection in children? – Helena Rabie & Andrew Redfern (South Africa).
2. Where have all the other respiratory viruses gone? – Sheena Sullivan (Australia).
3. What have we learned about RSV epidemiology and prevention? – Juan-Pablo Torres (Chile)

Description: Join us for presentations and a Q&A on managing HIV and tuberculosis in children in the midst of a global pandemic.

Speakers: Usa Thisyakorn (Thailand), Marieke van der Zalm (South Africa), Harsha Lochan (South Africa)

Programme:
1. Frontline experience of managing children with HIV and tuberculosis infections in a pandemic (Harsha Lochan)
2. The prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV: gains and losses over 25 years (Usa Thisyakorn)
3. Diagnosing childhood TB in the face of COVID-19 (Marieke van der Zalm)

Learning Objectives:
1. Lessons learnt from the COVID pandemic in managing children with HIV and TB
2. The prevention of mother to child transmission strategies
3. Update on diagnostics in childhood tuberculosis