CDU Invited by CDC to HBCU Listening Session
Cynthia Davis, Assistant Professor at the College of Medicine and College of Science and Health, was invited by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to join an HBCU listening session on January 20. The purpose of the listening session was to provide two-way conversations between subject matter experts from the CDC and representatives from HBCUs as part of the agency’s COVID-19 response.
“The recent HBCU COVID-19 Listening Session was very informative,” said Davis. “It provided a platform for HBCU faculty and staff engaged in COVID-19 education, community outreach and vaccine uptake an opportunity to share Best Practices and ‘first-hand’ experiences regarding effective implementation strategies being utilized to slow the spread of COVID-19 among vulnerable populations throughout the nation.”
Dr. Davis also shared that the session provided an opportunity to make recommendations “regarding future directions we may want to be engaged in with the CDC and other public and private sector partners in order to mitigate COVID-19 in the local communities we serve.”
Over 50 representatives were on the call, describing their successes and challenges mitigating COVID-19. CDC Public Health Advisor Kristy T. Hayes described the event as an opportunity for HBCUs to have their voice heard on the unique experiences of HBCUs in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.