Community Memorial Healthcare (CMH) in Ventura County will host a free seminar on Facts & Fiction About Vaccines featuring a panel of medical experts who will examine the truths and dispel the myths surrounding vaccinations.

The talk will be 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21 at the Ventura County Office of Education, 5100 Adolfo Road, Camarillo. Or, those interested may join via Zoom from anywhere. A Spanish translation will available in the Zoom livestream. 

With expert voices from Community Memorial Healthcare, Ventura County Public Health, and the Ventura County Office of Education, the seminar will provide research-driven insights into vaccine safety, efficacy, and the impacts of vaccines to public health.

The event will include a Q&A time for participants. Vaccine resources will also be made available for families and educators.

Presenters include Community Memorial Healthcare’s Chief of Staff Dr. Ali Shuman, a pediatrician; Dr. Uldine Castell, a family medicine physician and health officer for Ventura County Public Health; and Melissa Foster, RN, coordinator, Hearing Services and Nurses for the Ventura County Office of Education.

“As a pediatrician, I’ve had the misfortune of seeing children impacted by vaccine-preventable diseases, so I’m an advocate for vaccines,” Dr. Shuman said. “I also understand the questions people have, and I’m looking forward to addressing their concerns.

“It’s my hope that this educational event will instill in people a sense of confidence that vaccinating themselves and their family is the best option.”

For more information or to register, visit mycmh.org/vaccines. 

An estimated 3.4 million to 5 million deaths worldwide are prevented by childhood vaccination every year, and vaccines are the most widely researched and studied medical interventions used by the medical community, CMH reports.

“It’s important for as many people as possible to get vaccinated to establish herd immunity in a community and protect those in the population who cannot be vaccinated, such as infants and the immunocompromised,” CMH said.

Community Memorial Healthcare is a nonprofit, independent health system serving the Ventura County. Visit mycmh.org for more information.