February 25 | 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM ET
The 2019 Novel Coronavirus was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness, referred to as COVID-19. It was first detected in Wuhan, China on Dec. 12, 2019 and is most likely to be transmitted from person-to-person via respirator secretions through sneezing and coughing. Limited evidence now suggests the virus has been detected in the faeces of a small proportion of novel coronavirus-infected patients through molecular techniques. The virus may, therefore, be present in wastewater although its survival, infectivity and concentrations remain to be confirmed. Because this disease already has begun to spread worldwide, it is important that water sector professionals keep informed on the attributions of this virus and any measures needed to protect both public health in general and workers in particular.
This webcast, organized by WEF’s Disinfection and Public Health Committee (DPHC), will provide the most up-to-date information available on novel coronavirus from some of the most reputable names in infectious disease control and emergency response. It will highlight virus ecology, transmission, control, epidemiology, government agency response, and specific impacts for the water community. Speakers will provide the audience with additional resources and published recommendations, as we continue to learn more about and respond to this ongoing outbreak.
Speakers:
- Mark Sobsey, Gillings Schools of Global Public Health, UNC Chapel Hill
- Matt Arduino, Environmental Hygiene and Infection Prevention, Office of the Director, Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Christopher Brown, Occupational Safety and Health Agency, Department of Labor
- Christine Tomlinson, CBRN Consequence Management Advisory Division, Office of Emergency Management, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Rasha Maal-Bared, EPCOR Water, WEF DPHC Waterborne Infectious Disease Outbreak Control (WIDOC) Chair
Moderator:
Scott Schaefer, A2ES, WEF DPHC Chair