The Rotary Club of
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22Apr2020 Jessica Petz - Global Scholar
We opened with a moment of silence for those affected by the shooting carnage in Nova Scotia and for Emergency Responders and Health Care Workers, keeping us safe in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today is 50th Anniversary of Earth Day and recognition of the bees who pollinate so we can eat.
 
Trudy reported that the Adventures in Citizenship program has been cancelled this year. We have been offered a refund of $320, but with a hope that we will donate same to the Ottawa Rotary Club. Moved by Trudy and seconded by Bill that “The $320 meant to be a refund because of the cancellation of the Ottawa Rotary Club, Adventures in Citizenship program 2020, be donated to their club.” The motion was approved. The student, Aryen Modi, grade 11 of Central Elgin CI, has been advised the trip is cancelled; he has not incurred any expense.
 
We congratulated Nancy on her recent birthday and (accompanied by Gerald’s music) the group sang “Happy Birthday” to Maggie who celebrates a milestone birthday today.
 
Members are again encouraged to contribute to local food charities or RI instead of meal costs at meetings.
 
Sue Storie spoke of current Rotary Global Scholarships. Michael T was selected to attend the University of Edinburgh, and plans have not changed. A student from Oxford U did not return to Ontario. $30000 US comes from our district 6330 and RI foundation for each scholarship (six possible areas of study). The deadline to find someone for next year is fall 2020.
 
Jessica Petz - Global Scholar, reported on her Ebola Research in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Jessica graduated from Carlton 2016 and received a Rotary Global Scholarship to attend at the London UK School of Tropical Medicine. She has experience helping in Haiti and Guatemala. Jessica worked in the UI for 2 years after graduation. Jessica spoke to us about her work conducting research that would help with the fight against Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  She worked for UNICEF. Jessica speaks four languages. Ebola affected 3500 people and claimed 2100 lives near Beni, the city where Jessica worked. 58% were women, 25% were children; men comprised the remainder and were mostly spared because they did not care for those with Ebola nor did they prepare bodies for funeral rites. Ebola is spread by people who eat infected bats. Jessica’s purpose was to study the influence the hygiene and water and sanitation programs on mitigating the disease and to consider the impact of Ebola on vulnerable people. She analyzed 25 studies. Those who practiced traditional medicine got training. Jessica reported that those who recovered and went back to their lives were stigmatized even by health care workers. Some 6-7 of those relapsed or were reinfected, and subsequently died.
 
Her group gave 120 recommendations for improved response in 4 cities; 98 were accepted. Fifty-six days elapsed without new cases, two days short of lifting mitigation measures. Then a new case showed up, not linked to previous infections. By that time, Jessica’s involvement with the program ended, and she returned home. She will be enjoying some well-deserved time off, having worked nearly every day for a year.
 
Questions:
Trish – Why were there more woman victims? They were excluded from vaccination and were responsible for the sick and preparing of bodies.
 
Malcolm – Congo was the only hot spot. Jessica does not plan to go back and will focus on COVID-19. She also noted the overlap of the study of COVID with the study of Polio. She studied the transmission in health facilities. What is the impact of the scholarship on Jessica’s life? She earned a Master’s degree from a world-renowned school and met lots of people with whom she can contact. She has contacts with Doctors Without Borders. She got work with Oxford U and UNICEF.
 
Pat – What is Epidemiology? It is the branch of medicine which deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health.
 
Bill asked: how long does Ebola last in the deceased? Time not certain, but the virus requires human cells to replicate.
 
Wade – How well are the vaccines working? There are two vaccines: one from Johnson & Johnson and the other from Merks. They were used after the disease appeared. J&J vaccine supply is greater and therefore more available. However, it requires 2 shots about two months apart; it was challenging to locate some people for the second shot. The vaccination continues pre-emptively in Kinshasa, the capital and in countries such as Rwanda.
What does Jessica think of protocols for COVID in North America? The implications of social distancing may not be fully understood. It may increase the pre-existing inequities, eg. Domestic abuse. Subsistence societies are more vulnerable to contracting COVID as people cannot afford to be away from work in order to feed themselves. Some people in the US are not supporting social distancing.
 
Catharine –Efficacy of the vaccine? This is under study.
 
Stew – Is Jessica concerned about the next phase of COVID-19? It may not be so bad. The attack rate is low at 2.5 cases developing from one case. There will be problems relating to asymptomatic cases and aerosol transmission. We need more protective equipment.
 
Thanks, Jessica for sharing your expertise and insights with us. We have very much enjoyed your contact with the Club over the past few years!
 
Next week we hear from Strong Starts regarding literary skills.
 
Guests were Wade, Jackson, and Maggie.
 
Web site of the Rotary Club of St Thomas  http://rotarystthomas.org
Upcoming Events
Jessica Petz, Rotary Global Scholar
Apr 22, 2020
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
 
Strong Start
Apr 29, 2020
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
 
Classification by Catharine Janssen
Jun 03, 2020
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
 
Board Meeting
Jun 03, 2020
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
 
WeedMD Presentation
Jun 10, 2020
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
 
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