The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) has teamed up with University of the Philippines colleges and institutes to hold a two-part webinar for the public on “#COVIDisAirborne: Understanding and implementing the Paradigm Shift.”
UPOU, together with UP Diliman Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Institute of Civil Engineering, College of Science, College of Engineering ; UP Manila College of Medicine, Community Health and Development Program, College of Public Health , College of Nursing ; UP Baguio Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; and UP Los Baños Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Graduate School, will be holding these webinars on 3 and 8 February 2022, 8:00 AM (PST) via Zoom.
When the pandemic broke out, people believed that transmission of the virus was through heavy droplets from the eyes, nose and mouth of infected individuals. As research continued, the World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged late in 2021 the overwhelming evidence suggesting that COVID-19 is transmitted through aerosols.
To detail the paradigm shift from the old theory of droplet transmissions, the team has invited Dr. José Luis Jiménez, one of the most highly cited experts in aerosol chemistry, and a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Colorado – Boulder. In the first part of the webinar, Dr. Jiménez will focus on the science and history behind airborne transmissions, how these were seemingly ignored over the past century and at the onset of the pandemic, as well as on equipping people with the necessary tools to adapt to the paradigm shift. The second part of the webinar, he will tackle the implications of COVID-19 being airborne and the measures against airborne transmissions.
Dr. Jiménez has a PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He made contributions that led to the establishment of the Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer, an instrument for real-time analysis of aerosol size and composition. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Jimenez was one of the experts who signed an open letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO urging them to acknowledge that airborne aerosols play an important role in transmitting COVID-19. He has led numerous papers proving the airborne nature of transmission of COVID-19 over documented superspreader events, becoming one of the most highly-cited authors in 2021.
Dr. Paolo Medina from the UP College of Medicine will serve as moderator. The webinar is free and open to the public. Interested participants may register for Part 1 through https://tinyurl.com/airbornepart1. For inquiries, [email protected].
Sustainable Development Goals
Written by Anna Cañas-Llamas
Edited by Joane V. Serrano and Myra D. Oruga
#UPOpenUniversity
