'Myth vs Facts On Vaccinations'

The Biology Department held a live stream event called “Myth vs Fact: COVID Vaccination” on February 11 by Dr. Emilie Prot.

Dr. Emilie Prot is the Regional Medical Director at the Texas Department of Health. Dr. Prot is board certified in public health and general Preventive Medicine. She serves as a committee member on the Task Force of Border Health Officials, mandated by statute (S.B. No. 1680), and a committee member of the Public Health Funding and Policy Committee. She is a faculty member for the residency program in preventive medicine and public health at the Texas State Department of Health and is faculty member for UT Rio Grande Valley Medical School. She is passionate about global health, advocacy, health equity and strives to care for populations in Texas in particular Texas Mexico border region.

During our seminar, students and community members learned how vaccines work with our immune system to fight and prevent diseases. Dr. Prot described how a vaccine is developed and the phases of clinical trials that it must go through to be approved by the FDA. She described and compared the COVID vaccine candidates and at what phase in clinical trials are they currently in. Dr. Prot explained the technology behind the first two COVID vaccine approved by the FDA for emergency use and listed the reported and expected side effects. She explained who is at risk of getting COVID-19 and therefore are candidates for the COVID-19 vaccines. She shared a National Strategy to Reinforce Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines. Dr. Prot’s final take home message was “Vaccine confidence starts with you. Building defenses against COVID-19 is a team effort. Share your reasons for getting vaccinated and encourage others. Do not to forget to wear a facemask. Stay 6ft physical distancing. Wash your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Stay home when you are sick. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.”

The South Texas College Biology Department, Speaker Series Committee, is committed to participating in outreach initiatives for students and community members. Speaker Series events are free of cost and are geared to bring awareness to various topics.

To watch this seminar and our previous events, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel called “STC Biology Department”