After seeing the misinformation about the COVID-19 virus and vaccines in media and on the internet, 3rd year Biomedical student Diana Muntean decided to organise a public webinar about Covid for the broader community.
Diana asked fellow 3rd year Biomedical student Ghusoon Al Sammarraie to help in putting the presentation together, and then gained the support of Dr Giulia Getti and colleagues from the School of Science to create the event.
They wanted to help people understand why vaccination is one of the most important weapons against this virus, so they could make an informed decision about getting vaccinated.
Diana’s objective was to provide current and accurate information about how the currently FDA approved vaccines against Covid-19 work, the possible side effects and the main differences between them.
I believe that the general population deserves to have access to accurate scientific information coming directly from specialists.
Diana Muntean, 3rd year Biomedical student
The webinar was a joint endeavour led by a team of both students and academic staff from the School of Science, sharing their knowledge of the science behind the Covid-19 vaccines with the community.
The idea was first presented by the students through the university Biomedical Science Society and the Microbiology Society discussing the different vaccines available. This received such positive feedback that Diana, Ghusoon and their colleagues took on the challenge of delivering it as a public event.
This event is an excellent example of our staff and students working together to help inform and educate participants from a wide range of backgrounds.
Martin Snowden, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Engineering and Science
Both Diana and Ghusoon are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with staff and deliver this event to the broader community. This was not only an opportunity to share their knowledge, but also to develop their presentation and communication skills.
The public webinar received some great feedback from the community:
I wish more people could have seen this presentation and been reassured. Excellent, information, even for a layperson such as me.
Believe me, your presentation on the Covid vaccine gave me the courage to go for it!
This is an excellent example of our students and staff working together on really important issues. Well done to Diana and Ghusoon for sharing the university knowledge with the community, and thanks to Dr Giulia Getti, Dr Sarah Harris, Dr Joanna Miest, Dr Lauren Pecorino and Dr Joshua Boateng for their involvement.
You can watch the webinar on YouTube.
