As peak mosquito season approaches, PROTECT and CRECE have continued to reach out to local communities to provide education on Zika virus prevention. Community Engagement Core members Dr. Carmen Vélez Vega, Dr. Gredia Huertas, Abigail Figueroa, and trainee Colleen Murphy were invited to the Arecibo Campus of Eastern University, a private institution, to provide information on Zika prevention as well as an overview of PROTECT and CRECE. A group of 40 undergraduate students and their professors attended and were engaged in conversation addressing misconceptions pertaining to Zika. The university falls within the region that PROTECT and CRECE study, and has requested PROTECT’s participation in future events.
On April 6th, CEC member Dr. Gredia Huerta presented on Zika at the EPA’s “Reducing Pesticides in Puerto Rico” Conference. Dr. Huerta will be conducting the same presentation for the EPA’s Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC) meeting in May 2016. The CHPAC is a group of researchers, healthcare providers, environmentalists, state and tribal employees, and community members who advise the EPA on regulations, research, and communications related to children’s health.
In addition to these activities, PROTECT and CRECE have provided resources to local healthcare professionals about avoiding the Zika virus. Both centers are also providing mosquito nets to the pregnant women and mothers with newborn children who make up our cohorts. Visit our News page to learn more about our efforts against the Zika virus.