WATCH: (Aug. 18, 12pm CT): Vaccine Hesitancy: The Politics of Public Health in Tennessee

REsources and faqs on Covid-19 vaccines: 

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RELATED NEWS: 

  • The Tennessean: “Tennesseans Need More Vaccines and Less Judgment,” (Aug. 15, 2021) by panelist Alex Jahangir, M.D., MMHC, chair of Metro Nashville Board of Health and the Metro Nashville Coronavirus Task Force, and professor of orthopedic surgery and medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
  • National Review: “The Truth about Trump’s Operation Warp Speed,” (May 21, 2021) by panelist Paul Mango, former deputy chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services in the Trump Administration (2018-2021), where he managed Operation Warp Speed.  
  • Fox News: “4 doctors/congressmen: Coronavirus vaccine: we’ll get one and here’s why we trust the science” (Sept. 16, 2020) co-authored by panelist Phil Roe, MD, former republican Congressman (TN-01), who  practiced as an OBGYN and ran a successful medical practice in Johnson City, Tennessee, for 31 years. 

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ABOUT THE VIRTUAL EVENT

With an introduction from Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, the panel featured moderator Pamela R. Jeffries, dean of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and featured panelists:  

  • Dr. Alex Jahangir, orthopedic surgeon and Executive Medical Director of the Center for Trauma, Burn and Emergency General Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Jahangir is Chair of the Metro Nashville Board of Health; and head of the Metro Nashville Coronavirus Task Force.    
  • Paul Mango, former deputy chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services in the Trump Administration (2018-2021), where he managed Operation Warp Speed.    
  • Former U.S. Congressman Phil Roe, MD, U.S. Representative for Tennessee’s 1st congressional district (2009-2021), where he served as chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, and as co-chair of the GOP Doctors Caucus. Roe was a practicing OB/GYN for 31 years in Johnson City, Tennessee.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It is vital that we convene these conversations to elevate evidence on the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and promote healthier communities in Tennessee and across the country,” said Gray Sasser, Executive Director of the Vanderbilt Project on Unity & American Democracy. “Vanderbilt and VUMC scientists and public health experts have played a crucial role in developing solutions to the pandemic, and throughout this extreme case of profound uncertainty, we have a continued responsibility to pursue facts and evidence to educate our communities.” 

According to the 2021 Vanderbilt PollTennessee Republicans reported significantly more vaccine hesitancy than those identifying as Democrats or Independents. Rural communities continue to report significantly lower numbers of vaccinated populations, and Tennessee state officials paused vaccine promotions targeting adolescents amid pressure from state GOP lawmakers.  

About The Vanderbilt Project on Unity & American Democracy

The Vanderbilt Project on Unity & American Democracy is a nonpartisan initiative that aims to elevate research and evidence-based reasoning into the national conversation. Drawing on original research, evidence-based papers and crucial conversations from Vanderbilt’s world-class faculty and visionary thought leaders of all political persuasion, the timely endeavor aims to give policymakers and the public the tools needed to combat conspiracy and unfounded ideology with evidence, data and respectful discourse. The Vanderbilt Project on Unity & American Democracy can make a meaningful contribution to solving society’s most pressing challenges and bridging our deepest differences. 

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