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Faculty from School of Medicine to discuss managing the risk of COVID-19 for families with young children

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaccination against COVID-19 for those above 12 years old is a critical tool to help stop the ongoing pandemic. But, how should families with young children manage the risks of the disease if their children aren’t approved for a vaccine just yet? 

The Case Western Reserve University community is invited to attend an online event focused on just that. Hear about the latest COVID-related news from a panel of experts, including School of Medicine Dean Stanton Gerson, infectious disease expert Robert Salata, and adolescent psychiatrist Ruth Gerson. The event will take place from 8:45 to 10:15 a.m. (ET) on Friday, Oct. 22 and is open to the public.

“The Delta variant of COVID-19 has been a game changer,” said Salata. “Among other issues, it has been associated with more cases in children.  Vaccine approval for children is forthcoming soon and will be a significant tool to diminish cases in children and families.”

The webinar will cover topics such as vaccines, boosters, variants and more. A specific focus will be placed on learning about COVID-19 and kids, including the state of vaccination for those under 12, transmission to children, and approaches to managing the psychological needs of kids during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The event will include a welcome by Provost and Executive Vice President Ben Vinson III as well as an update of campus safety measures featuring Sara Lee, executive director of university health and counseling services, and Peter Poulos, general counsel.

Attendees are encouraged to submit questions ahead of the event using this online form and to register to attend the webinar. 

About Stanton L. Gerson

Stan Gerson, MD, is the dean and senior vice president for medical affairs, School of Medicine, and acting director of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and the National Center for Regenerative Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, where he is the Asa and Patricia Shiverick–Jane Shiverick (Tripp) Professor of Hematological Oncology and Case Western Reserve University Distinguished University Professor. Learn more about Stanton Gerson.

About Robert A. Salata

Robert A. Salata, MD, is the STERIS chair of excellence in medicine and chairman of the Department of Medicine since 2015 and was chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine for nearly 20 years at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (UHCMC). He is the founding Director of the Infectious Diseases and Immunology Institute in the School of Medicine. Learn more about Robert Salata.

About Ruth Gerson

As senior vice president for mental health services at The New York Foundling, Gerson oversees the psychiatric and mental health services for youth in foster care and for those youth and families served in our Article 31 clinic, the Home for Integrated Behavioral Health. She also teaches at the NYU School of Medicine, where she is a clinical associate professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Learn more about Ruth Gerson.