Synopsis

Never in the field of health was so much learned by so many in so few months.

This Grand Round will recap the lessons from last year, take stock of where we are in February 2022, describe the complex situation with vaccines, and look to what the year might hold for the pandemic and children in Australia and countries around the world.  Topics will include: Why is COVID-19 less severe in children?  Vaccines: who, when and how? What is happening to the epidemiology of infection as schools re-open around the world?

Speakers

Professor Nigel Curtis is a paediatric infectious diseases physician and clinician scientist. He is Professor of Paediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Melbourne, leader of the Infectious Diseases Research Group at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Head of Infectious Diseases at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. Nigel is the Chief Principal Investigator of The BRACE Trial, an international randomised controlled trial of BCG vaccination to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in nearly 7000 healthcare workers. Twitter @nigeltwitt

Associate Professor Nigel Crawford is a general paediatrician and a vaccinologist with a strong track record in vaccine safety research. Since July 2021 he was appointed the Chair of ATAGI. A/Prof Crawford is Director of the Victorian vaccine safety service (SAEFVIC) and Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre (MVEC). He is also the Head of Immunisation Services in RCH and Director of the Victorian Specialist Immunisation Services (VicSIS). His main research activities are in the fields of vaccine safety and surveillance, COVID-19 in families and children; special risk group’s immunisation; vaccine preventable diseases epidemiology and public health immunisation policy development.

Professor Fiona Russell is a paediatrician, epidemiologist and vaccinologist. She is Director of the Child and Adolescent Health PhD Program, Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne; and Group Leader Asia-Pacific Health, MCRI. She advises WHO and DFAT on COVID-19 vaccine in the Asia-Pacific. She is a member of the WHO COVID-19 and Educational Institutions technical advisory group.