By WMBD-TV
NORMAL – Hundreds of people gathered at Illinois State University to attend the state’s annual conference on infectious diseases.
Dubbed “Emerging Stronger: 2024 Illinois Infectious Disease Conference,” this year’s conference at ISU was the first one held at the Normal campus since 2015.
The two-day event features more than two dozen speakers, including Tuesday’s keynote speaker Katelyn Jetelina who pens the blog “Your Local Epidemiologist.”
She is an epidemiologist who has spent several years “debunking” fears about vaccinations. Her keynote address, “Reimagining Public Health for the 21st Century,” included how social media plays a large role in how people view vaccines.
“It’s how more than 50% of the country gets their healthcare-related news and so, what they see on social media really impacts their decision making and unfortunately we’re seeing that less and less people are making evidence-based decisions,” she said.
Jetelina, who lives in San Diego, Calif., urged people in attendance to contact healthcare professionals, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control Basic Facts and Questions or the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Immunization Resources for information on vaccinations and their effects, instead of getting their information from social media.
“Part of this conference, along with the things that we are doing at the Illinois Department of Public Health is really to begin communicating those strategies,” said Sameer Vohra, IDPH’s director. “Just like I would to new parents after a baby is born, knowing that something like this could prevent really severe outcomes by just getting an important vaccination.”
Jetelina said the COVID-19 pandemic has made the public ready to ask more questions about vaccines and she said healthcare professionals need to do more to be prepared to answer them.
“Never underestimate the public. They want to know what MRNA vaccines are. They want to know why MRNA doesn’t change our DNA,” She said. “They want to know why these vaccines won’t cause infertility. Those are great questions to have.
“We just need to be ready and equipped to answer those,” Jetelina said.
Vohra said science is ever-changing and while it can be confusing, it could be seen as a benefit.
“What we known today, but that might be different from what we know tomorrow and that’s actually a good thing. It means that we are getting the most up-to-date information and we are making the types of changes that are allowing all of us to to be healthier,” he said.
On Wednesday, the conference continues with speakers all day and ends with Heather Simpson, a former viral anti-vax social media influencer who became known for dressing as the measles for Halloween, but who now advocates for vaccinations.
