Conversation with Dr. Alan Scott
Bird flu, US AID, measles, NIH, vaccinations are all terms we hear about a lot in the news these days. They were on the minds of students in questions they asked today to Dr. Al Scott, our “Conversation with…”. guest. Dr. Scott has been a regular speaker at our school over many years. He is a Professor in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Each of the students had prepared a list of questions both from their studies and the news. Dr. Scott answered each question with details that enabled everyone to understand and ask followup questions. Some of the deepest concerns had to do with the impact of diseases like measles returning. It is one of the most contagious diseases with each infected person infecting 18 people on average, mostly in the days before any symptoms occur. We also learned that the measles virus can live and stay in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the room.
We appreciate Dr. Scott taking time from his busy schedule at the University to share time with us.