Accurate information about the COVID-19 vaccine is essential and can help dispel common myths and rumors. It can be difficult to know what sources of information you can trust.

Before reviewing vaccine information on the Internet, verify that the information is from a credible source and is regularly updated.

Residents of Ripon and surrounding communities will have the opportunity to hear first-hand from trusted local medical providers about the COVID-19 vaccine to help with decision making.

The Ripon Rotary Club, SSM Health Greater Fond du Lac Region and the Fond du Lac County Health Department are collaborating to offer a virtual COVID-19 vaccine Q&A forum on Thursday, October 28 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The virtual question-and-answer forum, available through Zoom, will feature the following experts.

• Punit Kumar, MD, Internal Medicine Physician, SSM Health Grand Fond du Lac Region
• Jeanne Lyke, MD, Pediatrician, SSM Health Ripon Community Hospital
• Theodore Miller, MD, Obstetrician / Gynecologist, SSM Health Ripon Community Hospital
• Kim Mueller, health worker, Fond du Lac County Health Department
• Dan Wilk, outpatient pharmacist, SSM Health Grand Fond du Lac Region

“Rotary has always worked to improve the lives of people around the world,” said Ripon Rotary Club past president Liz Nevitt. “Our biggest initiative was to eradicate polio and we are almost there. By helping to administer vaccines to children around the world, polio is almost gone.

“COVID-19 vaccines are effective in helping protect against serious illness and death – including variants currently in circulation (eg, the Delta variant). Ripon Rotary wants to help educate the public about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, just as it has helped immunize the world against polio. It is important for Rotary to contribute to the work being done by SSM Health and all health care providers to get people immunized, so that we can get the community back to normal as soon as possible. “

According to SSM Health, COVID-19 vaccines are effective in protecting individuals against COVID-19, especially serious illness and death, and may reduce the risk of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.

For those unable to participate, a link to the forum will be hosted on the websites and social media pages of the Ripon Rotary Club, SSM Health Greater Fond du Lac Region and Fond du Lac County Health Department.

To subscribe to the Zoom forum, go to https://bit.ly/3BsH5Ex. Once users register on this page, they will receive an email from Zoom with a link to the forum, a phone number to call if they want to do audio only, and an option to add the forum. to a calendar.