AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE International AIDS Society (IAS) will mid this year host a virtual conference for the major objective of presenting research, policy analysis and sharing frontline experience in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The conference will be held from July 10th to 11th in recognition of the urgent need to analyze research, review policy and exchange frontline experiences in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A statement made available to the ‘Sunday News’ by IAS said that the virtual Covid-19 conference will take place online on the last day of AIDS 2020.
It will feature a free-of-charge stand-alone programme of plenary, invited speakers and abstract-driven sessions exclusively dedicated to the Covid-19 pandemic.
AIDS Conference decided to hold the first ever virtual edition dubbed ‘AIDS 2020: Virtual’ due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
The decision was arrived at after the conference got advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO), The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), leading global and local health authorities and people living with HIV around the globe.
Many of the global experts gathering for ‘AIDS 2020: Virtual’ are also leading voices in SARS-CoV-2 virology, immunology, vaccines, clinical care and therapeutic guidelines, and trials.
The virtual conference will provide a unique opportunity to help shape the evolving global response to Covid-19.
There will be several tracks, such as basic science, pathogenesis, virology, immunology, inflammation; Clinical science, testing (RT-PCR and serologic) and diagnoses, natural history, clinical care, ARDS care, therapeutics and epidemiology, transmission dynamics, prevention and vaccines.
Other tracks are public health responses, including physical distancing and community level efforts, programmes, policies, lifting restrictions, modelling while the last one will be social, economic, political, human rights impacts of the pandemic and the response.
Conference President and AIDS 2020 International Chair, Dr Anton Pozniak (MD), said that while there is no sufficient data on whether people living with HIV are more susceptible to Covid-19 or more likely to develop severe disease, they have a special obligation to reduce any potential risk to the HIV community.
AIDS 2020: Virtual will enable delegates to access and engage with the latest HIV science, advocacy and knowledge traditionally presented at the conference.
It is expected to be a compelling combination of virtual sessions and community networking, including exhibitions, workshops, the Global Village, satellites and pre-conferences that will reach audiences around the world.
The International AIDS Conference-the world’s largest conference on HIV and AIDS, sits uniquely at the intersection of science, advocacy and human rights, bringing together scientists, policy makers, healthcare professionals, people living with HIV, funders, media and community.
Since its start in 1985, the conference has served as an opportunity to strengthen policies and programmes that ensure an evidence-based response to HIV and related epidemics.
