Drs. Chopra and Dunne team with NFL Alumni to promote vaccination from Today@Wayne

A pair of Wayne State University School of Medicine infectious diseases experts will team up with the National Football League’s Alumni Association to answer questions and spread awareness of the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination.

Teena Chopra, M.D., M.P.H. ’11, professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, and Robert Dunne, M.D., professor of Emergency Medicine, will serve as panelists for the April 20 “COVID-19: What’s Happening in Detroit and What to Expect in the Coming Months” virtual event, hosted by the NFL Alumni Detroit Chapter and the Detroit Department of Health.

The event, open to the public via Zoom, is scheduled to take place from 7 to 7:45 p.m. Register for the panel discussion and question-and-answer session at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JZTkh6fbRgSZoUoMKENv8A

Other panelists will include Lomas Brown, a seven-time Pro Bowler and former offensive tackle for the Detroit Lions, and Denise Fair Razo, chief public health officer of the Detroit Department of Health.

The event is one of 25 the NFL Alumni Association is hosting as part of its COVID-19 vaccination education and awareness campaign in partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Janet Marchibroda, executive director and vice president of the association.

“We have engaged more than 100 current and former NFL players who are lending their voices — as media spokespersons, through events and through social media — to encourage individuals to talk to their doctors and make informed choices about vaccination,” Marchibroda said.

Similar campaigns have taken place in Arizona; Baltimore; the Carolinas; Chicago; Cincinnati; Dallas; Georgia; Indianapolis; Jacksonville, Fla.; Kansas City; New York/New Jersey; Philadelphia; Richmond, Va.; southern California; Tampa, Fla.; and Tennessee. Participating members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame include Derrick Brooks, Harry Carson, Cris Carter, Brian Dawkins, Marshall Faulk, Franco Harris, Michael Haynes, Howie Long, Anthony Munoz, John Randle, Andre Reed, Jerry Rice, Will Shields and Andre Tippett. Former players Billy Davis and Kyle Richardson serve as the lead ambassadors for the campaign.

Drs. Chopra and Dunne have valuable and unique insight into the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines and their importance in combating the spread of the disease.

Dr. Dunne has served as the man behind the scenes of Detroit’s mass vaccination efforts. In addition to directing the School of Medicine’s pre-hospital programming, including Emergency Medical Services, Preparedness and EMS Research, he is the elected medical director of the Detroit East Medical Control Authority, the local version of the state-designated entity that supervises all pre-hospital care in Detroit and eastern Wayne County. As its chief medical officer, he was responsible for the coordination of the medical response at the TCF Center vaccination site in Detroit.

In addition to serving as corporate medical director of Infection Prevention, Epidemiology and Antibiotic Stewardship, for Wayne State University and the Detroit Medical Center, Dr. Chopra co-leads WSU’s Center for Emerging and Infectious Diseases. Beginning early in the pandemic, she quickly became a go-to expert on the disease and its prevention for local, national and worldwide media. She has worked tirelessly to promote the effectiveness of vaccines, disseminate accurate public safety health information, and dispel misleading and false information.

For more information about the campaign, visit www.nflalumnihealth.org/covid-19.

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