Map of Asia. United States Central Intelligence Agency, 2004. Geography and Maps Division, Library of Congress

Announcement written by Tomoko Y. Steen, Ph.D., Science Reference & Research Specialist

Continuing the Library of Congress COVID-19 Health Webinar Series, the Science, Technology & Business Division and the Health Services Division will be hosting Riding COVID-19 in Asia on June 22, 2022 at 10 a.m. (EST). The program is online only and open to the public. Register here.

Numerous factors and dynamics can be observed in how the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded in different regions of the world. During the initial period, Asian countries were doing well, leading some observers to look to them as models in pandemic management. Subsequent waves and surges, impacted by the emergence of the delta and omicron variants and by government policies, have hit all countries. Even after more than two years, and with the availability of vaccines, the global pandemic is still not quite over according to authorities in the U.S. While public health is a priority, leaders cannot ignore society’s pandemic fatigue and the economic toll. Reflecting on the 1918 Flu Epidemic’s far-reaching effects, we can see how culture, economics, and health policies are shaped by the experiences of navigating a pandemic.

To fully understand the depth of the varied COVID-19 experiences, it is important to learn about each country’s public health policies and to explore how historical, cultural, and political influences impact strategies and efforts. The multi-dimensional approach by this panel discussion covers areas such as public health, health policy, sociology, economics, history of medicine, and epidemiology, with a focus on Asia. This, in turn, enhances our understanding of how effectively leaders in each country use science and data to make decisions, form policies, and prepare for potential future pandemics.

For more information and to submit questions for the panelists in advance of this webinar use the Science Ask A Librarian form. When submitting a question, please indicate that it is for the June 22 “Riding COVID in Asia” webinar. Individuals requiring accommodations for this event are asked to submit a request at least five business days in advance by contacting (202) 707-6362 or [email protected]

Speakers:

China/Hong Kong

• Benjamin Cowling, Ph.D. Professor, Chair of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
  “Epidemiology and control of COVID in Hong Kong and mainland China”

Korea

• John P. DiMoia, Ph.D. Professor, Korean National University, Seoul, Korea “Public Health and South Korea’s ‘K-COVID’: the Politics of Health Infrastructure”

India

• Tavpritesh Sethi, Ph.D. Professor, University of Malaya, Professor of Computational Biology, Founding Head at Center of Excellence in Healthcare, IIIT-Delhi, New Delhi, India
  “A Case of India: Vaccine, Economics and Epidemiology”

South East Asia

• Khoo Ying Hooi, Ph.D. Head, Department of International & Strategic Studies, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, University of Malaya, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  “Southeast Asia in the time of COVID-19”

Japan

• Miwako Hosoda, Ph.D. Professor, Seisa University, Tokyo Japan.
  “Be Afraid Correctly!  Health literacy around COVID-19”

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