Dear Colleagues,
We have reached the end of the second week and of the first session of our e-conference. I think we have had a valuable fortnight with nearly 170 contributions and responses from some 90 participants. A large number of subjects relating to PPR and its virus have been covered and I will attempt to briefly summarize these on Monday when we start week 3 (Session -2 “Identification and prioritization of themes to be addressed by PPR-GREN”) in which we will revisit the subjects in a systematic manner, and also in week 4 (session 3 - Identification of other sub-themes to be included in the themes agreed above). These will be very important sessions for us because the selection and emphasis we place on particular topics will help in structuring the PPR-GREN into various thematic and research groups.
From the inputs to session one I already see two important and encouraging outcomes for the conference. The first is that all contributions have been positive about the progressive control and eradication of PPR. Some participants rightly drew our attention to issues where control of PPR might differ from that of rinderpest, not in any fundamental way but more in terms of approach, but no one identified an insurmountable technical constraint to eradication. I think we can all build on this.
The second point is that the interest shown in the conference strongly advocates that a network such as PPR-GREN would be popular and useful (to be useful it has to be popular). We have had several relevant and thoughtful questions that provoked multiple and varied responses; international reference laboratories responding to questions from field staff continents away; PhD students asking the fundamental questions that some, like me, are too frightened to ask; plus observations and anecdotes from all corners. I won’t forget Dr Shamaki’s farmer who came back for more vaccine.
Conference Housekeeping: I have retained some material from contributors but will post this up next week and in week 4. Please remember when you submit a contribution to copy or send it directly to the conference site at <[log in to unmask]> and it will probably
be posted on the list more quickly. The contents of my inbox for the conference is large and growing and If someone has submitted something that I have either not posted on the conference list site or have not replied to you about directly, please let me know and I will do my best to put things right.
Enjoy your weekends and we will start again on Monday,
Kind regards,
Paul Rossiter.