Submit Your Coronavirus Queries to an Epidemiologist [Update: Session Concluded]

UPDATE: The session has officially ended! A heartfelt thank you to René F. Najera, DrPH, an epidemiologist affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, who is currently contributing to the pandemic response team at a health department in the Washington, DC area.

Epidemiology focuses on analyzing health trends across entire populations. For instance, epidemiologists are the experts who investigate the origins of pandemics, study their transmission patterns, and develop strategies to mitigate their impact. (However, epidemiology isn’t limited to diseases: Najera’s doctoral research applied epidemiological methods to explore the surge in homicides in Baltimore.)

This isn’t Najera’s first encounter with a pandemic. During the 2009 H1N1 (flu) pandemic, he served as the influenza surveillance coordinator at the Maryland Department of Health. His expertise extends internationally, having assisted in tracking a Chikungunya outbreak in Colombia, collaborated with the CDC on Zika response efforts in Puerto Rico, and supported local health departments in preparing for Ebola outbreaks.

When he’s not contributing here, you can find Najera on Twitter at @EpiRen or stay updated with the History of Vaccines initiative, which he directs, on Instagram at @historyvaccines.

Now, fortunate readers, he’s available to address your inquiries about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Q&A session has concluded! A big thank you to everyone for their insightful questions and to Dr. Najera for dedicating his time to provide answers.