As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the world in sometimes devastating and unexpected ways, a more well-known illness — the flu — will make its annual debut in the coming weeks. Flu activity tends to increase in October and can run as late as May. It’s too soon to tell how flu season will definitively affect the current pandemic. However, Johns Hopkins Medicine experts say prevention will be key in reducing the spread of both illnesses, including getting an annual flu vaccine, washing hands, wearing a face mask or covering, and maintaining proper physical distancing.
Johns Hopkins Medicine experts will be available throughout the 2020–21 flu season to talk with your newsroom about the epidemiology of this year’s flu virus, as well as provide important information about this year’s flu vaccine, the difference between the flu and COVID-19 and the potential impact of the flu season on the pandemic.
Available Johns Hopkins Medicine Experts
Flu and COVID-19 in Adults
Paul Auwaerter, M.D., M.B.A.
Clinical Director, Division of Infectious Diseases, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Natasha Chida, M.D., M.S.P.H.
Infectious Diseases Physician, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Jade Flinn, M.S.N., R.N., C.C.R.N., C.N.R.N.
Nurse Educator, Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit
Brian Garibaldi, M.D.
Medical Director, Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit
Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Lisa Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H.
Senior Director of Infection Prevention, The Johns Hopkins Health System
Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Stuart Ray, M.D.
Infectious Diseases Physician, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Clare Rock, M.B.B.Ch., M.S.
Associate Hospital Epidemiologist, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Shmuel Shoham, M.D.
Infectious Diseases Physician, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
The Flu, COVID-19 and Children
Aaron Milstone, M.D. M.H.S.
Associate Hospital Epidemiologist, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Anna Sick-Samuels, M.D., M.P.H.
Associate Hospital Epidemiologist, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
The Flu, COVID-19 and Emergency Medicine
Gabor Kelen, M.D.
Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Professor of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Director, Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response
Executive Vice Chair and Vice Chair of Research, Department of Emergency Medicine, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Professor of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Lauren Sauer, M.S.
Director of Operations, Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Experts Available at Other Johns Hopkins Health System Hospitals
Howard County General Hospital
Media Contact: Susan Case, Senior Director, Marketing and Communications, Howard County General Hospital, 410-292-1881, scase@jhmi.edu
B. Mark Landrum, M.D.
Section Chief, Medicine/Infectious Diseases, Howard County General Hospital
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Morgan Katz, M.D., M.H.S.
Director of Antimicrobial Stewardship, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Geetika Sood, M.D., Sc.M.
Hospital Epidemiologist, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Mark Sulkowski, M.D.
Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Media Contact: Danielle Caci, Public Relations Manager, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, 727-767-2897, danielle.caci@jhmi.edu
Allison Messina, M.D.
Chairman, Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Sibley Memorial Hospital
Media Contact: Gary Stephenson, Senior Director of Media Relations and Public Affairs, Sibley Memorial and Suburban hospitals, 443-324-6726, gstephe1@jhmi.edu
Jennifer Abele, M.D., M.B.A.
Assistant Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer, Sibley Memorial Hospital
Mark Abbruzzese, M.D.
Infectious Disease Physician, Sibley Memorial Hospital
Nadia Eltaki, M.D.
Emergency Medicine Physician, Sibley Memorial Hospital
Suburban Hospital
Media Contact: Gary Stephenson, Senior Director of Media Relations and Public Affairs, Sibley Memorial and Suburban hospitals, 443-324-6726, gstephe1@jhmi.edu
Dominique Foulkes, M.D.
Medical Director and Chair of the Pediatric Emergency Center at Suburban Hospital
Barton Leonard, M.D.
Director of Emergency Medicine, Suburban Hospital
Todd Templeman, M.D.
Emergency Medicine Physician, Suburban Hospital
