Thread by @CovidTownHall

Today at #CovidTownHall: @JonnaMazet! #Epidemiologist & executive director of @OneHealthUCD at #1 vet school @ucdavisvetmed. On board of directors for @GlobalVirome, served on #USAIDPredict to find emerging viruses before they spread to humans. 1/3
ohi.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/people/jonna-m…

More from @JonnaMazet:
@TEDMED talk “What If We Could Immunize the World Against Pandemics?"
@KnowableMag (4.16.20)
knowablemagazine.org/article/health…
@KCBSRadio (4.6.20)
kcbsradio.radio.com/media/audio-ch…
@OneHealthUCD #COVID19 Town Hall (4.9.20)
2/3

For those who can't attend today's #CovidTownHall at 3:30pm PDT with @JonnaMazet, you can access all recorded meetings ~24hr after here: video.ucdavis.edu/channel/channe…,
including those with @phylogenomics, @DrABrashear, @JamesEKHildreth, @sociovirology, & Brad Pollock 3/3

Dr. @JonnaMazet speaks with @ucdavis @ucdavisbiology students about emerging infectious diseases now! Livestreaming available at: facebook.com/46541415965/vi…
Join the conversation here & at #CovidTownHall
#Covid19 #Pandemic #InfectiousDisease #SciComm

@JonnaMazet: important to say that it's important we not vilify any species that are/may be hosts. In this case, #bats are incredibly important for biodiversity and ecosystems. When we reduce bat populations, we put ourselves as greater risk to virus exposure.
#CovidTownHall

@JonnaMazet: some of the suspicions of disease being present in California earlier than reported appear to be correct. We probably had multiple introductions of similar strains early on. Meaning more opportunities for exposure than once thought.
#CovidTownHall #Covid19

@JonnaMazet: Right now our best defense is what we're doing: #ShelterInPlace. We need to continue to keep the curve flat, with also awareness of the growing emotional/mental health toll #socialisolation is taking.
#CovidTownHall #Covid19 #mentalhealth

@JonnaMazet: many social and equity reasons to consider - who's getting exposed/who'e sick and what that means for exposure. We would use different types of tests for different reasons. Pros and cons to antibody testing.
#CovidTownHall #Covid19

@JonnaMazet: for example, may be better to look at population testing results when making decisions about re-opening/ending #ShelterInPlace, as opposed to individuals
#CovidTownHall #Covid19

@JonnaMazet: most closely whole genome virus is from bat. Lots of talk about other animals, like pangolins, which appear to have a spike protein that allows binding to Ace2 receptor in mammals.
#CovidTownHall #Covid19

@JonnaMazet asked if it would be better for us all to just get infected and get on with it? A: we all are at risk. Do NOT intentionally infect yourself. If you get exposed, whether you know it or not, you can put others at mortal risk.
#CovidTownHall #Covid19

@JonnaMazet It's not just about protecting biodiversity, but our own health. Highest risk of exposure is at the end of food value chain (those working at restaurants that serve wildlife).
#CovidTownHall #Covid19

@JonnaMazet: where biodiversity overlaps with us & habitat/landuse change, that's where we find the greatest virus infection spillover. So many reasons to protect wildlife & habitats, INCLUDING this
#CovidTownHall #Covid19 #conservation #Habitatconservation #Wildlifeconservation

@JonnaMazet: Asked about "#ImmunityPassport" to know who can be allowed to go out. A: Big implications/problems with this. #SocialEngineering & corruption concerns. Again, probably better to test and make decisions at population levels rather than individual level
#CovidTownHall

@JonnaMazet: We need *at least* 2 negative tests via PCR at least a day apart to be more confident of results. Reinfection, immune system variation, intermittent shedding etc all factors to consider
#CovidTownHall

@JonnaMazet: big problem with government not preparing people in time. Takes political will to make changes so we can be properly prepared. Need to be forward thinking to deal with something that's not right in front of us.
#CovidTownHall

@JonnaMazet Vital importance to have/support the @GlobalVirome to help us predict and prevent in the future. This is a call to action!
#CovidTownHall #Covid19

@JonnaMazet: If we go & find the thousands of coronaviruses out there in multiple hosts, we can start to understand which are pathogenic + better target our diagnostics and preventatives. If we only look at #Covid19, we could miss the next strain to come around.
#CovidTownHall

@JonnaMazet: Call to global cooperation! This virus was not created in a lab. It is a naturally evolved virus. Easy to see the lack of trust in science and scientists when people start with their conspiracy theories. This MUST be fixed.
#CovidTownHall

@JonnaMazet: Possible that disease didn't start in Wuhan. May have been first diagnosed there because of the experts there. Need to do retrospective testing on samples we have from all the counties. We can trace this back, but now there's a(n understandable) focus on stopping 1st

@JonnaMazet We don't know when, where, how, and in what host this started in. Lots of circumstantial evidence. Much to investigate.
#CovidTownHall #Covid19

@jonnamazet: Don't smoke or vape *anything* until this is all over!! Worried if this is related to adverse consequences in young people.
#CovidTownHall

@JonnaMazet: Have learned that it is important to invest in contingency plans. Letting our anti-science environment continue has hurt us. We must overcome this.
#CovidTownHall