QU-Health organises discussion on Covid-19 vaccination

Participants at the Covid-19 vaccine IPE activity.

The QU-Health Interprofessional Education Committee in Qatar University, organised recently its fourth Interprofessional activity (IPE) for Spring 2021 with a virtual discussion on Covid-19 vaccination. A total of 74 students and nine facilitators attended. The main objectives were to discuss Covid-19 vaccine, vaccine hesitancy, describe evidence-based vaccine cost-effectiveness and burden of disease and outline current licensed vaccines in Qatar and immunisation schedule. The session started with an introductory video by the lead facilitator, QU College of Medicine associate professor of Microbiology Dr Susu Zughaier. Students discussed the importance of vaccines from different healthcare perspectives. They also addressed vaccine hesitancy, its causes, and how to overcome it. Finally, students reflected on what they learned about the role of other health professionals while working together on this case. Dr Zughaier commented, “Learning about vaccines as an 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 vaccine hesitancy.”