Epidemics III (edX)

This is the third (control of infectious diseases) of the four courses, covers these topics:

- Disease Surveillance

- Non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI)

- Vaccination (Effectiveness, Trials, Safety, Impact on Populations, Vaccine Economics, Confidence and Hesitancy)

- Panel Discussion on WHO’s Response to the Ebola Outbreak; and Anti-vaccination

“If history is our guide, we can assume that the battle between the intellect and will of the human species and the extraordinary adaptability of microbes will be never-ending.” (1)

Despite all the remarkable technological breakthroughs that we have made over the past few decades, the threat from infectious diseases has significantly accelerated. In this course, we will learn why this is the case by looking at the fundamental scientific principles underlying epidemics and the public health actions behind their prevention and control in the 21st century.

This course is part of the Epidemics-Origins, Spread, Control and Communication Professional Certificate.

What you'll learn

- Emerging Infections and Outbreak Detection

- Syndromic Surveillance

- Serologic Surveillance

- Non-pharmaceutical interventions

- Control of Cholera

- Hygiene and Other Personal Interventions

- Isolation and Quarantine and Contact Tracing

- School Closure

- International Measures Including Travel Restrictions and Entry Screening

- Zoonoses - Market Closure

- How Vaccines Work

- Herd Immunity and Other Indirect Benefit

- How to Measure Vaccine Effect

- Vaccine Trials and Safety

- Measuring Vaccine Impact on Populations

- Vaccine Economics

- Vaccine Confidence and Hesitancy

Syllabus

Week 1: Control (Disease surveillance)

Disease Surveillance Overview

Emerging Infections and Outbreak Detection

Syndromic Surveillance

Serologic Surveillance

Surveillance - Evaluation of Control Measures (Control Studies)

Surveillance - Evaluation of Control Measures (Active and Passive Surveillance)

Surveillance - Evaluation of Control Measures (Vaccine Effectiveness)

Supplementary Module: Harnessing Multinational Data Sources in Global Models to Inform Vaccine Policy

Week 2: Control (Non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI))

Non-pharmaceutical Interventions Overview and John Snow

Control of Cholera

Hygiene and Other Personal Interventions

Isolation and Quarantine and Contact Tracing

School Closure

International Measures Including Travel Restrictions and Entry Screening

Zoonoses - Market Closure

Week 3: Panel Discussion on WHO’s Response to the Ebola Outbreak

The Stocking Report

Outbreak Alert and Emergency Response

WHO Preparedness Centres

Ebola Vaccine

Health System Infrastructure

Lessons Learned

Communication Strategy

Week 4: Control (Vaccination)

Brief History and Current Issues

How Vaccines Work

Herd Immunity and Other Indirect Benefit

How to Measure Vaccine Effect

Vaccine Trials

Safety

Influenza Vaccines

Measuring Vaccine Impact on Populations

Vaccine Economics

Introducing a New Vaccine

Week 5: Panel Discussion on Anti-vaccination, and Supplementary Module on Next Generation Informatics for Global Health

The State of Vaccine Confidence

Vaccine Confidence and Hesitancy

Trust

Measles Vaccine

Experimental Vaccines: Ebola

Vaccination: a basic health right?

Supplementary Module: Digital Health & Epidemiology