Second COVID-19 booster symbolizes new era of the pandemic
By Hannah Cree from El Inde ArizonaSecond doses of the COVID-19 booster shot are now being offered to students and faculty at the UA. Read more
Science
'No celebration, no victory lap. We’re going to stay the course': The story of Arizona's 180
On July 15, two months after Gov. Doug Ducey ended Arizona's lockdown, the seven-day average of COVID-19 cases in Arizona was at 3,249. This week, on Aug. 24, the seven-day moving average has dropped to 630, and for the past 12 days, the state of Arizona has reported fewer than 1,000 cases. What happened? Read more
Taking a deeper dive into the three major types of COVID-19 tests
There are a number of different ways to test for COVID-19, some of which are able to diagnose an active infection and others that look for the presence of antibodies in an individual's blood. Let’s break these tests down. Read more
Childhood vaccination rates drop to alarmingly low rates amidst global pandemic
The U.S. is now over five months into a devastating battle with seemingly no end in sight. As of Aug. 24, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken over 180,000 confirmed lives and infected about 6 million individuals. On top of this, a latent issue could be rising to the surface as schools across the country are in the process of reopening: a stark drop in childhood vaccination rates. Read more
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
Contact tracing proves indispensable for Native American communities battling coronavirus
On June 17, the Native American population accounted for roughly 11% of the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in Arizona. Today, on Aug. 17, that percentage has been cut in more than half and currently stands at 5%. Read more
Fire on the mountain: Local experts discuss causes, damages and fighting the Bighorn Wildfires
A series of experts and panelists from the U.S. Forest Service and the University of Arizona’s Institute of Resilience recently held a webinar on Aug. 5, detailing their current assessments of the causes, damages and the prevention methods stemming from this summer’s Bighorn Wildfire. Read more
Face masks with valves or vents do not prevent spread of COVID-19, CDC says
On Aug. 7, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its considerations for wearing certain types of masks. The agency stated that it does not recommend people wear "masks for source control if they have an exhalation valve or vent." Read more
CDC backtracks on earlier guidance on three-month period of immunity
Ever since the beginning of the pandemic, the question of how long immunity lasts after being infected with COVID-19 has been at the forefront of discussion. A recent update from the Centers for Disease Control suggests that immunity against the novel coronavirus may last at least 3 months. 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
