QU-Health holds IPE discussion on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy – The Peninsula

QU-Health holds IPE discussion on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy – The Peninsula

Doha: The QU Health Interprofessional Education Committee (IPEC) in Qatar University, which consists of representatives of all the different healthcare schools in Qatar, has organised its sixth IPE activity virtually. It was on COVID-19 vaccine.

A total of 162 students and 18 facilitators attended the event. Students from different healthcare programmes at QU participated in this activity and their professions were pharmacy, public health, biomedical science, medicine, and nursing.

This inter-professional education session discussed COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine hesitancy.

In addition, it explained the principle of vaccines and herd immunity with describing evidence-based vaccine cost-effectiveness and burden of disease (vaccine-preventable infections).

The activity outlined current licensed COVID-19 vaccines in Qatar and immunisation schedule and addressed vaccine hesitancy and vaccine safety.

Also, it discussed controversial issues of vaccine perceptions (misconceptions).

The session started with an introductory video by Dr. Susu Zughaier (Lead Facilitator, Associate Professor of Microbiology, College of Medicine, QU).

A case discussion was introduced about a 67-year-old w oman who declined the vaccine due to social media influence.

Dr. Zughaier said, “Learning about vaccines as effective tool to prevent infectious diseases in the middle of COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine hesitancy is of great timing, especially with the misinformation about vaccine safety circulating in social media that increase