On February 10, 2020, the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health (MEZCOPH) hosted an Information Session with a panel of public health professionals to address questions about the emerging outbreak of novel coronavirus, officially named “COVID-19” by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Session aimed to foster a better understanding of the outbreak by sharing fact-based information about risk, prevention, diagnosis and treatment, and evidence-based preventive strategies. Over 300 people joined the session either in person or online.

Panelists participating in the Session included scientists, public health professionals, and healthcare providers from MEZCOPH’s Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Community, Environment and Policy as well as University of Arizona Campus Health, Pima County Health Department, and Banner Health-Tucson.

MEZCOPH organized the Session to inform, educate, and empower people to spread facts not fears, to practice compassion, and to follow Center for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for hand and respiratory hygiene. People are encouraged to get a flu shot if they have not received one yet.

Over 100 people participated in the online survey on risk perception, knowledge, and information sources regarding COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus). Just over 50% of the survey participants were students, and the remainder were staff, community members and faculty.