ECHO-Chicago: COVID-19 Epidemiology & Vaccine Updates (Jun 09, 2022)

ECHO-Chicago: COVID-19 Epidemiology & Vaccine Updates is organized by The University of Chicago - Center for Continuing Medical Education. and will be held on Jun 09, 2022.

Overview:
As the COVID-19 pandemic affected our communities, specifically the uninsured and underinsured, the free and charitable clinics (FCC) are doing what they do best: adapting to meet the ever-changing needs and challenges of their patients. However, free and charitable clinic healthcare professionals (primarily volunteers) need access to the latest, most up-to-date information to be able to answer their patients’ questions about COVID-19 and the vaccine.
 
ECHO-Chicago at the University of Chicago, in partnership with Americares is developing these customized sessions for FCC healthcare professionals across the country. These knowledge-sharing sessions will offer short didactics, Q&A, and case sharing led by infectious disease specialists in collaboration with the Americares IPC team. Content will include discussion of current statistics surrounding COVID-19 and the degree of severity this virus affects adults; factors necessary for SARS-CoV2 transmission; discussion of COVID-19 symptoms for adult populations and treatment options available; guidelines for discontinuation of transmission-based precautions for patients with COVID-19; and vaccine education and messaging to healthcare personnel and patients.

Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this activity, participants will be able to:
• Discuss the availability of the vaccine within the United States;
• Identify how to use of motivational interviewing as a strategy to build vaccine confidence;
• List COVID-19 vaccine safety guidelines and how to communicate them to the patients;
• Discuss what is known about the COVID-19 variants in the U.S. and how they impact the efficacy of the vaccine;
• Describe how to advise special patient populations such as immunocompromised and pregnant about vaccines;
• State the newest guidance about what can and cannot be done after being vaccinated (e.g., travel, mask use, in-person meeting);
• Explain drivers of the changing epidemiological profile of COVID-19 like more infections among youths and what is driving these cases and the upsurge of infections in spite of vaccination;
• Summarize how to manage patients post-COVID (e.g., treatments, cardiovascular screening, signs of long-COVID).