Feb. 18, 2022
Dear Members of the Baylor College of Medicine Community,
Today’s video marks our 100th week of sharing information and answering questions about COVID-19. To mark the occasion, we have a trip down memory lane at the end of this week’s video. It is amazing to experience the rollercoaster of the last couple of years in a few minutes.
Many of us think about this pandemic as unpredictable, unprecedented, totally unexpected. So, it is interesting to take a look back at Event 201, a high-level pandemic simulation exercise that was held in New York in October 2019, a couple of months before the first case of COVID-19. The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in partnership with the World Economic Forum and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation hosted the event.
The suggestions focused on establishing strong government-private industry collaborations to prepare for what turned out to be all of the things we have experienced in the past two years. One of the items on the summary list is developing methods to combat misinformation and disinformation, including that the virus was man-made. Sound familiar?
Not to be outdone, this week I present Lily’s Additional 8-point Plan for Pandemic Preparedness. No. 1 on the list is addressing the disparities in health care – Now!
Speaking of Lily, she has started her own Instagram account. After 100 videos, it seemed like the right time. You can find her at @lily.klotman.
The weekly videos will continue. When we have this pandemic squared away, we will pursue other topics of interest in the world of research, education and healthcare. I enjoy visiting with you each week in this format and hearing your suggestions and questions.
Have a great weekend. Stay safe.
Paul Klotman, M.D.
President & CEO
Executive Dean
