Ask an Expert: COVID-19 Vaccines

Thursday, February 25, 2021

The February COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies in Jail Settings Community of Practice webinar was the third of a monthly series that aims to contribute to the mitigation of COVID-19 in jail and other incarceration settings. This Community of Practice webinar was a Q&A discussion with public health, criminal-legal and advocacy experts working along the criminal justice spectrum to combat COVID-19. The event provided an opportunity to learn more about current COVID-19 mitigation strategies, including but not limited to COVID-19 vaccinations, collaboration with external organizations in this space, and more.

Back to the Community of Practice

The experts for this event included:
Ank Nijhawan, MD, MPH, MSCS Ank Nijhawan is a physician and researcher at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX. Dr. Nijhawan completed her undergraduate degree at Princeton University and her medical degree at UT Southwestern Medical School. She completed an internal medicine residency at UT Southwestern and Parkland Hospital followed by training in infectious diseases and HIV at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA. She also completed a Master's in Public Health degree at the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Nijhawan currently works at Parkland Hospital and the Dallas County Jail, where she provides HIV care and conducts clinical research. Her research focuses on improving HIV outcomes in vulnerable and underserved populations in Dallas, including the incarcerated and recently released. Dr. Nijhawan has received funding from the National Institutes of Health, including NIAID, NIMH and NIDA.
Simone Wildes, MD, FACP, FIDSA Dr. Simone Wildes received her bachelor's degree from Barry University. She earned her medical school degree from Loma Linda University. She completed an internship, residency and fellowship in infectious disease at Hahnemann University Hospital. Dr. Wildes is associate director of infectious disease at South Shore Health. She is a clinical assistant professor of medicine at Tufts Medical Center. Dr. Wildes is actively involved with Massachusetts Medical Society as executive board member, Chair of the Committee on Diversity, Vice Chair on Committee on Public Health and Presidential COVID-19 Advisory Group. She is involved with the Massachusetts Dept of Public Health Equity Advisory group and MA COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory group. Dr. Wildes is a member of the Infectious Disease Society of America and America College of Physicians. She is an ABC medical contributor. Dr. Wildes serves as the Health Director for her local church in Boston and is involved with Faith-Based Cancer Network in Boston.

The experts for this event included:

Ank Nijhawan, MD, MPH, MSCS

Ank Nijhawan is a physician and researcher at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX. Dr. Nijhawan completed her undergraduate degree at Princeton University and her medical degree at UT Southwestern Medical School. She completed an internal medicine residency at UT Southwestern and Parkland Hospital followed by training in infectious diseases and HIV at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA. She also completed a Master's in Public Health degree at the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Nijhawan currently works at Parkland Hospital and the Dallas County Jail, where she provides HIV care and conducts clinical research. Her research focuses on improving HIV outcomes in vulnerable and underserved populations in Dallas, including the incarcerated and recently released. Dr. Nijhawan has received funding from the National Institutes of Health, including NIAID, NIMH and NIDA.

Simone Wildes, MD, FACP, FIDSA

Simone Wildes headshot Dr. Simone Wildes received her bachelor's degree from Barry University. She earned her medical school degree from Loma Linda University. She completed an internship, residency and fellowship in infectious disease at Hahnemann University Hospital. Dr. Wildes is associate director of infectious disease at South Shore Health. She is a clinical assistant professor of medicine at Tufts Medical Center. Dr. Wildes is actively involved with Massachusetts Medical Society as executive board member, Chair of the Committee on Diversity, Vice Chair on Committee on Public Health and Presidential COVID-19 Advisory Group. She is involved with the Massachusetts Dept of Public Health Equity Advisory group and MA COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory group. Dr. Wildes is a member of the Infectious Disease Society of America and America College of Physicians. She is an ABC medical contributor. Dr. Wildes serves as the Health Director for her local church in Boston and is involved with Faith-Based Cancer Network in Boston.

Moderated by:
Dr. Alysse Wurcel, M.D., M.S. Infectious Diseases Physician, Tufts Medical Center Assistant Professor, Tufts School of Medicine Infectious Diseases Liaison, Massachusetts Sheriffs Association Alysse G. Wurcel, MD MS, is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases (ID) at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. She did internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, and ID fellowship at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital and Tufts Medical Center. In addition to her work as an inpatient ID doctor, Dr. Wurcel has an outpatient clinic where she specializes in HIV, HCV and substance use disorder care. Dr. Wurcel provides HIV and HCV care at six county jails in eastern MA. She is interested in the barriers and facilitators to care for people with or at risk for HIV and HCV, especially people who use drugs and people who are incarcerated. She is an international expert on injection-drug use associated infections, including bacterial endocarditis. Dr. Wurcel has a K08 grant from the Agency of Human Research and Quality to improve HCV testing access in jails. In April 2020, she was appointed as ID Liaison to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, and has been advising the county jails on COVID-19 prevention, mitigation, and vaccination strategies. An undergraduate degree in sociology launched me into a career as an infectious diseases doctor working clinically and on research to improve the quality of care delivered to people who use drugs and people who are incarcerated.
Tyler Logan, B.A. Project Coordinator, Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Tyler is a strong advocate for health equity and social justice. Much of his research work and interests have been embedded in identifying how historical, systemic, and environmental factors affect the health and wellbeing of marginalized communities. He is also a member of the Michigan Association for Evaluation, the American Public Health Association and the National Association for Health Service Executives. Prior to coming to the CBHJ, Tyler was involved in multiple evaluation projects throughout Michigan, and beyond, and brings valuable equity-focused evaluation, facilitation, community engagement, and partner collaboration practices to the team. Tyler leads Jail Diversion evaluation and Stepping Up technical assistance efforts within several counties across Michigan and the expansion and strengthening of pre- and post-booking jail diversion opportunities in Wayne County. Responsibilities include regular communication, data collection, and ongoing collaboration and coordination with behavioral health and criminal justice partners.

Moderated by:

Dr. Alysse Wurcel, M.D., M.S.

Infectious Diseases Physician, Tufts Medical Center
Assistant Professor, Tufts School of Medicine
Infectious Diseases Liaison, Massachusetts Sheriffs Association

Alysse G. Wurcel, MD MS, is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases (ID) at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. She did internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, and ID fellowship at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital and Tufts Medical Center. In addition to her work as an inpatient ID doctor, Dr. Wurcel has an outpatient clinic where she specializes in HIV, HCV and substance use disorder care. Dr. Wurcel provides HIV and HCV care at six county jails in eastern MA. She is interested in the barriers and facilitators to care for people with or at risk for HIV and HCV, especially people who use drugs and people who are incarcerated. She is an international expert on injection-drug use associated infections, including bacterial endocarditis. Dr. Wurcel has a K08 grant from the Agency of Human Research and Quality to improve HCV testing access in jails. In April 2020, she was appointed as ID Liaison to the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association, and has been advising the county jails on COVID-19 prevention, mitigation, and vaccination strategies.

An undergraduate degree in sociology launched me into a career as an infectious diseases doctor working clinically and on research to improve the quality of care delivered to people who use drugs and people who are incarcerated.

Tyler Logan, B.A.

Project Coordinator, Center for Behavioral Health and Justice

Tyler is a strong advocate for health equity and social justice. Much of his research work and interests have been embedded in identifying how historical, systemic, and environmental factors affect the health and wellbeing of marginalized communities. He is also a member of the Michigan Association for Evaluation, the American Public Health Association and the National Association for Health Service Executives. Prior to coming to the CBHJ, Tyler was involved in multiple evaluation projects throughout Michigan, and beyond, and brings valuable equity-focused evaluation, facilitation, community engagement, and partner collaboration practices to the team.

Tyler leads Jail Diversion evaluation and Stepping Up technical assistance efforts within several counties across Michigan and the expansion and strengthening of pre- and post-booking jail diversion opportunities in Wayne County. Responsibilities include regular communication, data collection, and ongoing collaboration and coordination with behavioral health and criminal justice partners.