Club Meeting 13 April 2021 - Professor Marc Pelligrini

Posted by Charles Tran
Club Meeting Report
On Tuesday 13th of April, the Rotary Club of Glenferrie had an informative and engaging session about the Covid-19 vaccine that was presented by Professor Marc Pellegrini.
 
Professor Marc Pellegrini is an infectious diseases physician and Head of the Infectious Diseases and Immune Defence Division at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. His research focuses on improving the management of infectious diseases that threaten to become the major contributor to morbidity and mortality globally.
His research focuses on improving the management of infectious diseases that threaten to become the major contributor to morbidity and mortality globally.
 
Activities in his lab include developing and delivering new diagnostic tests, interventions, treatments and cures for infectious diseases. He currently works on hepatitis B virus, tuberculosis, HIV, the COVID-19 virus, dengue fever and many other infections.
 
Many questions were raised from the audience about the effectiveness of the vaccine and most importantly, how safe is the vaccine itself. Professor Pellegrini explained the differences between the two vaccine brands that we have been hearing about in the media - Pfizer and AstraZeneca.  He reassured the audience that we have been using vaccines for a very long time and the two major reasons why vaccines are important are to decrease mortality rates and produce herd immunity.
 
Marc strongly believes that the medical and scientific community and Australian governments both federal and state level are managing the situation comparatively well, compared to other countries around the world.  Countries like Australia and New Zealand have an advantage as they are ‘islands’, so it is very difficult (the virus) to enter into the population compared to countries like in Europe and America.
 
Professor Pellegrini thinks that we will be able to travel soon, possibly next year as governments establishes travel hubs when countries have the vaccine under control and everyone is protected from the virus.
 

Prof Marc Pellegrini, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute - Vaccines and Covid 19

Meeting Chairman PP Charles Tran presented Prof Marc Pellegrini with the club's Certificate of Appreciation, announcing that the club will make a donation of $100 to Australian Rotary Health in recognition of Prof Pellegrini's visit
The meeting also heard from Deborah Carr, Head of Philanthropy, about the outstanding work of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI), amongst world leaders in vaccine research.
The gathering of 50 people at the club meeting on April 13th heard Prof Pellegrini's informative presentation, and peppered him with plenty of questions.
Deborah Carr from WEHI drew the raffle, lucky winner this week Ros Winspear.