News Center

On Friday, January 8, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and one of the nation’s leading experts on COVID-19 joined "Facts and Faith Fridays" for a virtual discussion on the COVID-19 vaccine.

This Zoom Webinar was co-sponsored by The Governor’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Office of Health Equity at the Virginia Department of Health, VCU Massey Cancer Center and faith leaders from Massey’s “Facts & Faith Fridays” group.

Facts & Faith Fridays began in March 2020 as a weekly call led by Dr. Robert Winn, director of VCU Massey Cancer Center, with African American clergy in Virginia to address the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on the Black community. The call has evolved to address higher rates of cancer and other health issues in diverse communities and continues to address COVID-19. The Facts & Faith group is inviting Virginians of all faiths and races to participate in this webinar with Dr. Fauci.

In Friday’s public session, Dr. Fauci, Dr. Winn and other experts discussed the equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, dispel vaccine myths and provide the latest facts on the vaccine. 

A recording of this discussion is available below.

Featuring: Anthony Fauci, M.D., director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Opening remarks by:

• Governor Ralph Northam, M.D.
• Michael Rao, Ph.D., president, VCU and VCU Health System
• Robert Winn, M.D., director, VCU Massey Cancer Center
• Janice Underwood, Ph.D., chief diversity officer, Commonwealth of Virginia
• Sable K. (Nelson) Dyer, J.D., acting director, Office of Health Equity, Virginia Department of Health
• F. Todd Gray, pastor, Fifth Street Baptist Church
• Rudene Mercer Haynes, J.D., partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP; advisor to Facts & Faith Fridays

Q&A panelists:

• Norman Oliver, M.D., state health commissioner, Virginia Department of Health
• Robert Winn, M.D., director, VCU Massey Cancer Center
• Gonzalo Bearman, M.D., MPH, chair, Division of Infectious Diseases; hospital epidemiologist/ medical director, VCU Healthcare Infection Prevention Program
• Daniel Carey, M.D., MHCM, Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources 
• Q&A facilitated by Sable K. (Nelson) Dyer, J.D., acting director, Office of Health Equity, Virginia Department of Health

Written by: Massey Communications Office