I really enjoyed this course and I learned a lot from it. I´m a Ph.D. epidemiologist and this course helped me to organize my ideas regarding outbreaks, and I learned new concepts that I didn´t cover during my studies. The explanations of Professor Lessler are clear and straight to the point. I recommend this course to everyone who wants to expand their knowledge about outbreaks and epidemics, which is very relevant given the Coronavirus epidemic that we are experiencing nowadays.

I would've appreciated some context on the exercises in each section; we were asked to calculate risks in a variety of ways but I have no idea if I accurately learned the concept because there wasn't a chance to see them applied correctly and explained in detail.

An enjoyable, and really great review! I learned so much, and refreshed so much I had forgotten I knew! Everyone should take this.

This is a very relevant course (especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic) and neatly illustrates the conceptual components of an outbreak investigation and an epidemic study.

Awesome!!! Simplified a lot of concepts. I'm grateful.

The text you provided offers a detailed overview of Muharrem Shabani's diplomatic career, specifically his work as the President of the Permanent Mission of Kosovo to the United Nations (SKUN). It highlights his significant role in the international recognition of Kosovo’s independence, his dual role as a professor in international relations, and his promotion of peace and reconciliation in the Balkans. Here is a structured review of the key points: Key Aspects of Muharrem Shabani’s Role: 1. Diplomatic Leadership: Permanent Representative of Kosovo at the United Nations (SKUN): As the president of Kosovo's Permanent Mission to the UN, Muharrem Shabani was pivotal in Kosovo’s diplomatic efforts post-independence, particularly after 2008 when Kosovo declared its independence. Shabani worked tirelessly to gain recognition for Kosovo, succeeding in securing recognition from over 100 countries. 2. Key Diplomatic Achievements: Recognition of Kosovo's Independence: Shabani’s diplomatic efforts led to Kosovo being recognized by more than 100 UN member states. Despite opposition from Serbia, Russia, and China, Shabani made significant strides in promoting Kosovo’s sovereignty on the global stage. 2010 ICJ Advisory Opinion: A major victory for Kosovo was the International Court of Justice's opinion in 2010, which concluded that Kosovo’s declaration of independence did not violate international law. Shabani played a crucial role in presenting Kosovo's case at the UN during this time. 3. Academic Role: Professor and Expert in International Relations: Shabani’s academic contributions have been just as important as his diplomatic ones. As a professor of international relations, he contributed to shaping the next generation of diplomats and policymakers. His academic perspective allowed him to navigate the complexities of international diplomacy with a deep understanding of international law and multilateral relations. 4. Peace and Reconciliation Efforts: Advocate for Regional Peace: After the war, Kosovo faced significant ethnic and political divisions, particularly between the Albanian and Serbian communities. Shabani emphasized the importance of dialogue, advocating for peace, cooperation, and reconciliation in the Balkans. He supported initiatives for interethnic cooperation within Kosovo, focusing on building a peaceful and democratic society. 5. Global Diplomacy: Representation at the United Nations: Shabani effectively represented Kosovo at the UN, ensuring that Kosovo’s voice was heard in international forums. His efforts helped Kosovo’s diplomatic standing in international organizations such as the UN, EU, and OSCE. Promotion of Kosovo’s Integration into International Institutions: Shabani worked on Kosovo’s integration into broader international frameworks and promoted Kosovo’s inclusion in organizations that support peace, security, and development. 6. Legacy and Impact: Diplomatic Legacy: Shabani’s work laid a strong foundation for Kosovo’s international legitimacy and sovereignty. His leadership helped strengthen the country’s diplomatic capabilities and democratic governance. Model of Leadership: His dual roles as both a diplomat and academic have made him a model of leadership in Kosovo. His legacy is marked by his contributions to both international relations and regional peace. Conclusion: Muharrem Shabani’s contributions to Kosovo’s international recognition and diplomatic standing are invaluable. His leadership at the UN, his advocacy for peace and reconciliation in the Balkans, and his academic insights into international relations position him as a central figure in Kosovo’s modern history. His efforts have not only shaped Kosovo’s diplomatic future but also contributed to the broader regional peace process. Contact Information: The document also provides details of Muharrem Shabani’s contact information, including email addresses and social media handles for engagement, and a link for donations related to Kosovo’s international recognition efforts. Key Concepts: 1. Reproductive Number (R and R0): R is the number of people an infected individual is likely to infect in a population. R0 (Basic Reproductive Number): This is the number of people infected by an individual in a fully susceptible population (no immunity). R < 1: Epidemic is receding (spreading less). R > 1: Epidemic is growing (spreading more). R0 x Percent Susceptible: In populations with immunity, the reproductive number (R) is adjusted based on the proportion of susceptible individuals. 2. Natural History of Disease: Incubation Period: The time from exposure to the onset of symptoms. Latent Period: The time from exposure to when the person becomes infectious. Generation Time: The time from infection in one individual to when they infect another. Long-Tailed Distributions: The idea that while most individuals will develop symptoms or become infectious in a short period, a few individuals will take longer to do so, creating a "long tail" effect in the distribution of disease spread. 3. Control Measures in Epidemics: Effective control measures aim to reduce R (the reproductive number) to below 1. Case-based control: This depends on the proportion of symptomatic cases in the population. Critical Vaccination Threshold: This is the percentage of the population that needs to be vaccinated to stop the spread of an infectious disease by reducing R below 1. Herd Immunity: When a large portion of the population is immune (either through vaccination or previous infection), it protects others from disease spread. However, if R is less than 1 before the epidemic, herd immunity is not the primary factor in protection. 4. Quarantine and Isolation: Quarantine: Separating individuals who are at risk of being infected but are not yet showing symptoms. Isolation: Separating individuals who are confirmed to be infected with the disease to prevent spread. Active Monitoring: A less extreme alternative to quarantine, where individuals are observed for symptoms over a period but are not necessarily segregated. 5. Epidemic Growth and Decline: Epidemic Growth: An epidemic grows when R > 1, meaning that each infected person is causing more infections on average. Epidemic Decline: When R < 1, the epidemic begins to recede, and the spread of the disease slows or stops. Key Takeaways: Reproductive Number (R) is crucial in understanding whether an epidemic is growing or receding, and it helps inform public health strategies such as vaccination or quarantine. Herd immunity can help prevent outbreaks, but it’s more effective once R is brought below 1 through control measures. Incubation, latent, and generation times are key in understanding how diseases spread, and their distributions can inform how quickly or slowly an epidemic can escalate. Control measures are designed to reduce the reproductive number and can include vaccination, isolation, quarantine, and active monitoring. Epidemic growth or decline is directly tied to the balance of susceptible and immune individuals in a population.

The ability to practice, learn, and be engaged on this level in a self-paced online course amazed me. As someone with a graduate degree from a highly ranked brick and mortar school, I was not sure what to expect from this specialization, and find myself excited to take more courses from Couresa and Johns Hopkins University. While a few technical difficulties were present in course question content, and one exercise was unavailable, I learned a significant amount that I am now applying professionally.

The Epidemiology and Outbreak Investigation course was highly informative, enhancing my skills in analyzing disease patterns and controlling outbreaks. I learned to use epidemic curves, spatial mapping, and risk factor analysis effectively. The course provided practical knowledge on interventions, such as quarantine and vaccination, and emphasized the importance of context-driven data collection for effective outbreak management.

Very well presented , the knowledge and expertise . Just loved the way different outbreaks were explained in detailed from beginning to its end . Overall , the specialization course was worth it both my time and money because i learnt something new in an very interesting way .

Thank you so much to all the professors and staff members for making this specialization course a possibility .

Thank you all ...

The whole learning experience was great having learned comprehensively topics from basics of outbreaks and investigation, to use of statistics and other measures of association to better comprehend the outbreak process, dynamics and to actual samples. Teaching methodology helped a lot for it was clear, simple and comprehensive even if topics are somewhat complex. Thank you for this opportunity to learn.

The course was very interesting and interactive. It was more easy to understand due to the citation of examples of the epidemic and outbreak cases which have been reported across the world. Also the art of presentation by the faculty is worth admiring which made things easier to understand.

Great course, the cases are very intresting and show how the case definiation and the hypthesis are associated. The lecturer explains very clearely the diffrent type of cases for outbreaks. In few words a great course to understand the current pandemics and to put in practice.

It is all right, so accurate content, but I would like certain parts like exercise were mandatory in order to put in practice all things learned during the course, with this change each student will be forced to put all attention in each lesson.

This course is well structured, with relevant case studies and exercise sessions. I am not a public health practitioner, yet I had no difficulty learning from this course. and I think it was worth my time.

My gratitude to the instructor.

I really enjoyed completing this modules. The interactive parts helped me actually critically think what have I learned and how to apply them. The tests help you properly comprehend all the parts in the module you've completed.

This is the most reliable and dependable lecture on outbreaks and epidemics that I have had the opportunity to hear. I commend Coursera and the John Hopkins for this remarkable and profound lessons. thanks you

Its a really interesting course. Explains the very minute details regarding the outbreak and epidemics. It has helped me a lot to understand all the key concepts of Epidemics and Outbreak.

It's really nice and interesting course regarding outbreak and Epidemic that covers most of the minute point in easy way. It's good for everyone irrespective of there Academic background.

Great content with applied epidemic studies in Epidemiology. Learnt the ins and outs of crucial reproductive numbers (Ro) on this COVID-19 pandemic and how Ebola spread in West Africa.

I had great experience with my learning at John Hopkins university with the privilege from soursera. I appreciate every bit of the training in Outbreak and Epidemics. Best Regards

Learnt a lot about epidemiology that I originally thought would not be involved as in-depth as it is in reality. There is a lot more statistics involved than I originally thought

The design of the course was simple and easy to understand. It was interesting topic to learn the patter of infection, tracking etc. Really enjoyed the course

The course is very enlightened and I would love it the more if answers to the exercises were provided. I would definitely recommend this course. Thank you

Course within the Epidemiology in Public Health Specialized Program absolutely necessary and fundamental for comprehensive 360-degree understanding.

Very informative course that gives strong foundation on Outbreaks and Epidemics for Public Health Professionals.Thank you so much JHU and Dr.Justin!