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Science

The UA to become point of distribution for COVID-19 vaccine

By Udbhav Venkataraman

The Pima County Health Department has designated the University of Arizona to be one of the points of distribution for vaccination as a part of Phase 1B in the vaccine rollout plan. The UA will administer the Pfizer vaccine at no out-of-pocket expense. They will primarily be serving teachers, educators and childcare workers. This includes teachers, faculty and staff at the K-12 schools in Pima County, Pima Community College and over 15,000 faculty and staff at the UA. Read more

UA COVID-19 Test Tracker

Daily (1/19)
777 14 %
Total (8/4)
127,198 3,646 %
Includes tests since August 4, 2020
Data from https://covid19.arizona.edu/updates
Updated January 19, 2021

FDA announces emergency use authorization of convalescent plasma therapy

On Sunday, Aug. 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced an emergency use authorization of convalescent plasma therapy to help treat COVID-19. An emergency use authorization from the FDA does not require the same level of evidence as full FDA approval however, it increases the availability of a given therapy and "allows FDA to help strengthen the nation’s public health protections." Read more

Round two: Cracking some common myths about COVID-19

Schools across the country are in the midst of deciding whether to stick with online classes or move to in-person instruction. With all that has happened this year, confusion and misinformation have been all too widespread. As of Aug. 20, there have been nearly 6 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States, according to The New York Times. Here are 10 different pieces of fact and fiction about COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus strain. Read more

What's in a good coronavirus test, accuracy or speed? It depends...

With all of the testing blunders that have plagued the country's coronavirus scene, a faster, less-accurate test could be the solution to better controlling the pandemic. Experts are now retracting previous sentiments about the role that rapid tests and a quantity-over-quality strategy could play in bringing back a sense of normalcy. Read more

New research shows asymptomatic carriers have similar viral load, infection spreads via aerosol

With schools set to reopen soon, the unknowing presence of asymptomatic carriers and a high risk of transmission from aerosol could prove detrimental to keeping the spread of disease under control. A new study out of South Korea published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that asymptomatic carriers harbored similar quantities of the novel coronavirus, called a viral load, as those who displayed symptoms. Read more

Optical scientist develops implantable cataract replacement lenses

A professor in the College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona, Dr. Jim Schwiegerling, recently designed and developed implantable cataract replacement lenses for the eye. These lenses allow for mid-range vision and may eliminate the need for glasses or contacts for some people and are implanted into the eye after removal of the natural lens. Read more