The Forgotten Infectious Disease Issues During COVID-19

Last month, Contagion provided its typical coverage of the IDWeek annual meeting: a combination of written and video coverage, news, and insights highlighted by presenters and experts in the field of infectious disease.

Different from past years, though, was the team’s—and meeting’s—relegation to remote communication, due to the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Indeed, the greatest pandemic in modern history can generate enough research and discussion materials for the entirety of the IDWeek agenda, but the massive meeting nonetheless provided its standard bevy of topics: influenza and HIV; hepatitis and antimicrobial stewardship; hospital-acquired infection and vaccination.

Still, though, COVID-19 and its effect on the state of infectious disease loomed over all discussion. So, the Contagion team thought it’d be necessary to remember some forgotten issues in the field.

Enjoy this multi-expert answer to the IDWeek question, “Has COVID-19 taken attention away from any greater infectious disease issues?"

The video’s featured experts include:

• Matthew J. Ziegler, MD MSCE, Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
• Sarah Blevins, PharmD, HIV Clinical Pharmacist, University of Kentucky
• Joanne Langley, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Canadian Center for Vaccinology, Dalhousie University
• Ravina Kullar, PharmD, MPH, Founder, duXsana
• Daniel J. Livorsi, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
• Suchitra Rao, MBBS, MSCS, Associate Professor, University of Colorado School of Medicine
• Matthew Goetz, MD, Chief of Infectious Diseases, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA