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Thursday, May 1, 2025 at Noon

Is There Another COVID-19

Type Disease in Our Future?
(Most Likely ... Yes)

with Dr. Kim Conway

Dr. Conway's sponsor is
Joe Clendenin, WACSC Program Committee

About the Program

                  COVID-19 is a zoonotic disease – that is, a disease that jumps from an animal to humans.  Scientists have ascertained that 75% of emerging human infectious diseases are of animal origin.  Some of the deadliest diseases, such as Ebola and salmonellosis, came from germs that spread from animals to humans. The resulting worldwide economic and health consequences of these diseases can be enormous.  Enter Dr. Kim Conway, whose talk,  Is There Another COVID-19 Type Disease in Our Future?, comes at a crucial time.

          Whether you travel or not, we live in a global world.   After all, an infected bat in China triggered a chain of infections that ultimately shut down the entire world, resulting in  three million COVID deaths. 

          Due to climate change, deforestation, and global travel (among other variables), scientists predict many more animal-to-human diseases in our future.   Dr. Conway has dedicated her career to this issue and will tell us about the impressive worldwide efforts being made to keep us safer from zoonotic diseases.

About the Speaker         

           Dr. Kim Conway has always been interested in epidemiology and veterinary public health, particularly diseases that are shared between animals and humans

           She currently works for the California Department of Public Health as the One Health Lead.  Prior to her current role, she worked for the California Department of Food and Agriculture, completed an epidemiology Fellowship, co-opened a free veterinary clinic for pet owners experiencing homelessness, and practiced companion animal medicine in the Greater Sacramento area. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine (MPVM) degrees from UC Davis, and is board certified in preventive veterinary medicine. In her free time, she enjoys running, cooking, and spending time with her husband, Scott, and cat, Jude.