COVID 2021: The Experts Answer Your Questions

Amid a surge in COVID-19 infections across Santa Cruz County and the nation, Lookout Santa Cruz and Event Santa Cruz are teaming up to connect residents with experts and get their questions answered.

County Health Officer Gail Newel, UC Santa Cruz infectious disease expert Marm Kilpatrick and Erica Padilla-Chavez, CEO of Pajaro Valley Prevention & Student Assistance who also is a member of the Pajaro Valley Save Lives team, will headline this free virtual conversation about the health impacts of the pandemic — including how we got here, who was impacted most, when this might end and will it ever happen again — at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21, with Lookout amassing questions for the panelists beforehand through its COVID 2021 initiative. Attendees also can submit questions during the live event on Zoom.

Mallory Pickett, Lookout’s lead correspondent covering the pandemic, and Executive Editor Chris Fusco will moderate the panel discussion. For the first time at a Lookout event, we’ll offer simultaneous Spanish interpretation, through a separate Zoom audio channel.

This will be the first in series of community conversations about the coronavirus as the year unfolds.

Thank you to our media sponsors:

City of Santa Cruz Economic Development Department

Think Local First

Santa Cruz Waves

Capitola Chamber

Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce

Coastal Watershed Council

Community Foundation SCC

Event Santa Cruz

Community Bridges

If you are interested in becoming a media partner or sponsor for this event, please reach out to Jed Williams at jed@lookoutlocal.com

ESPAÑOL: Lookout Santa Cruz e Event Santa Cruz llevarán acabo un foro público virtual sobre la pandemia por covid-19 en aras del año 2021. Este será el primer evento de una serie de foros sobre salud pública titulado "Covid en el año 2021: Los expertos contestan a sus preguntas". Chris Fusco, editor de Lookout y Mallory Pickett, corresponsal de Lookout, se centrarán en abordar los estragos que la pandemia ha tenido en la salud de la gente que vive en el condado de Santa Cruz.

Los panelistas invitados son Gail Newel, funcionaria de salud del condado de Santa Cruz, Marm Kilpatrick, experto en enfermedades infecciosas de UC Santa Cruz, y Erica Padilla-Chavez, directora ejecutiva de Pájaro Valley Prevention & Student Assistance y miembro activo del equipo Pájaro Valley Save Lives.

Acómpañennos el jueves 21 de enero a las 6pm por Zoom. El evento es gratuito y habrá interpretación en español.