Clinical and Ethics experts join The UWI COVID-19 Task Force

The UWI Regional
Headquarters, Kingston, Jamaica, Thursday, 9 April, 2020. Four
new members have joined The UWI COVID-19 Task Force, bringing
expertise to address the clinical aspects of the virus. They are
Professor Terence Seemungal, Pulmonologist and Dean of the Faculty of
Medical Sciences at The UWI St Augustine Campus; Dr Carl A. R. Bruce,
Medical Chief of Staff and Consultant Neurosurgeon at the University
Hospital of the West Indies and Dr Anna K. Perkins, Senior Programme
Officer, Quality Assurance Unit at The UWI whose expertise is in
ethics. Newly elected Guild President at The UWI Five Islands Campus,
Mr. Caleb Gardiner, has also been added to the diverse response team
to represent the youth and student voice.

Altogether, they
comprise a regional team of 19 persons, mobilised since February by
The UWI to leverage the University's knowledge and expertise to
assist the Caribbean in its readiness and response to the virus
outbreak. The Task Force is committed to providing clear and accurate
information, sharing its research with stakeholders across the
region. The
members’ expertise span areas such as virology, epidemiology,
laboratory diagnostics, critical care, respiratory medicine,
pulmonology, health leadership, emergency medicine, veterinary
medicine, mental health, public health, clinical psychology and
counselling, tourism, trade, international relations, public
education, youth advocacy, ethics, and communication, among other
areas.

A
trusted, reliable, single source of information, the Task Force
website, www.uwi.edu/covid19
provides a helpful repository of shared resources from a range of
partner agencies and regular updates, all relevant to the Caribbean’s
response to the global COVID-19 pandemic
amid a wave of
misinformation and speculation. In
addition, Task Force experts are available to provide commentary or
media interviews. Members of the
media are invited to make requests via email to
universitymktgcomms@sta.uwi.edu.

The complete list
of members of the UWI COVID-19 Task Force
and their specialisations are as follows:

Professor Clive
Landis, Chairman,
Cardiovascular Research

Dr Harold
Watson, Emergency Medicine

Dr
Carl A. R. Bruce,
Neurosurgery and Health Leadership

Professor
Terence Seemungal,
Pulmonology

Dr Joshua
Anzinger, Virology

Professor
Christine Carrington,
Molecular Genetics and Virology

Professor
Christopher Oura, Veterinary
Virology

Professor Julie
Meeks, Health Research

Professor Wendel
Abel, Mental Health/Public
Health

Professor
Donna-Maria Maynard, Clinical
Counselling & Psychology

Dr Katija Khan,
Clinical Psychology

Mrs Ceceile
Minott, Counselling/Child
Development/Social Development

Dr
Anna K. Perkins,
Ethics

Dr Don Marshall,
International Relations & Economics

Dr Michelle
McLeod, Hotel &
Tourism Management

Mr Caleb
Gardiner, Youth Advocacy

Dr Veronica
Simon, Continuing Education &
Public Outreach

Ms Janet Caroo,
Broadcast & Public Outreach

Dr Rhonda
Jaipaul-O'Garro, Marketing &
Communications