🎥 Highlights from the Science of Pandemics Conference

On November 29th, we gathered at the historic Palazzo Cipolla in Rome for the conference Science of Pandemics: Past, Present, and Evidence-Based Strategies for the Future, hosted by Università IULM. This event brought together nearly 100 in—person and online participants to engage in vibrant discussions about pandemic preparedness, evidence-based strategies, and critical lessons learned.

We were honoured to hear from an exceptional lineup of experts.

• Patricia Urban Lopez (EU) highlighted the EU’s commitment to supporting cohort-based research and its crucial role in shaping policy.
• John Ioannidis  (Stanford University) explored the “Covidization” of scientific literature along with maintaining robust evidence during crises
• Kevin Bardosh, Director of Research at Collateral Global, presented an examination of the unintended harms caused by COVID-19 policies.
• Giuseppe Ippolito (UniCamillus) discussed decision-making challenges with limited data.
• Sunetra Gupta (Oxford University), via simple modelling, put in question the effectiveness of lock-down
• Tom Jefferson (Oxford University) discussed the effectiveness of physical interventions in mitigating respiratory virus transmission.
• Patrizio Pezzotti (ISS) outlined the role of the Italian COVID-19 surveillance system in shaping the country’s policy responses.
• Francesca Incardona (EuResist) spoke on minor’s rights and the actions taken that involved minors.
• Rolf Kaiser (UHC) presented the “Lolli-Methode,” the testing method being studied by EuCARE.
• Vittoria Colizza (INSERM) shared insights on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the french schools setting. Followed by presentations from EuCARE’s Sara Gandini (IEO) on preventive measures and Ana B. Abecasis (IHMT-UNL) on variant surveillance in school settings.
• Gibran Horemheb Rubio Quintanares (PEI) shared his experience implementing the EuCARE Schools Study in Mexico
• Andrea Miconi (IULM) gave an overview of the analysis of how medical discourse on social and legacy media shaped public perceptions.
• Francis Drobniewski (ICL) tackled vaccine hesitancy through culturally informed strategies.

The voices of educators were at the heart of the event. Representatives like Marta Dias (Portugal), Silvia Scandura, and Chiara Stancari (Italy) shared their invaluable experiences, emphasizing the importance of collaborative approaches in safeguarding education during global health crises.

A heartfelt thank you to all speakers, participants, and organizers for making this gathering a success. Together, we are shaping a more resilient and informed future. 🌟

Watch below the highlights to relive the event.