With rising concerns about environmental issues and climate change, the national non-profit Defend Our Future is aiming to build a community of students passionate about environmentalism at the University of Arizona. Read more
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
After about 90 days of tracking wildlife in the lower Sky Island region of southeastern Arizona and northern Mexico, Sky Island Alliance, an environmental nonprofit in Tucson, has identified 71 species in the range of border wall construction. Read more
On Tuesday, Aug. 4, the Maryland-based company, Novavax, released its data from phase one of its clinical trials for a new vaccine candidate for COVID-19. The company said the vaccine has a "robust immunogenicity profile." Read more
Isolation and quarantine are the best ways to help protect the public from exposure to COVID-19. If someone feels sick or has any of the COVID-19 symptoms, then they should get tested and quarantine. Read more
