On January 30, the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency on the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) that originated in Wuhan. Healthcare experts have warned that COVID-19 could rapidly spread, if not properly contained, and many governments around the world have begun to take precautionary measures to ensure public health safety. Amid the international concern and heightened fears about the disease, what is fact and what is fiction? The Asia Society Hong Kong Center brings you regular updates on the coronavirus story in Hong Kong that has reverberations elsewhere in the world. We are pleased to present on-the-ground public health experts and internationally renowned specialists with the latest facts and evidence-based findings regarding this epidemic outbreak. In episode 11, hear from Professor Rebecca Katz, Director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. S. Alice Mong, Executive Director of Asia Society Hong Kong Center will moderate the discussion.

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Professor Rebecca Katz is the Director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. Dr. Katz teaches courses on global health diplomacy, global health security, and emerging infectious diseases in the School of Foreign Service. Prior to coming to Georgetown in 2016, she spent ten years at The George Washington University as faculty in the Milken Institute School of Public Health. Since 2007, much of her work has been on the domestic and global implementation of the International Health Regulations as well as global governance of public health emergencies. She has authored over 80 peer reviewed manuscripts, and three books in addition to numerous op eds, blogs, white papers and book chapters. From 2004 to 2019, Dr. Katz was a consultant to the Department of State, working on issues related to the Biological Weapons Convention, pandemic influenza and disease surveillance. In 2019, Dr. Katz co-convened the first international scientific conference on global health security, bringing together over 900 participants from around the world to form a community of practice, and is working with her colleagues in Australia to plan to follow up conference in 2021.Dr. Katz received her undergraduate degree from Swarthmore College, an M.P.H. from Yale University, and a Ph.D. from Princeton University.