Why Health Officials Are Terrified of a Pandemic Christmas Dec. 1, 2020 Despite warnings, millions traveled and gathered for Thanksgiving. As officials brace for the surge ahead, they say a new approach is needed. "Testing itself isn't a bad thing, but people started using it to justify doing whatever they wanted," said Saskia Popescu, an epidemiologist and adjunct professor at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. "And people who really needed tests couldn't get them because sites were overwhelmed." The Washington Post
Why Health Officials Are Terrified of a Pandemic Christmas Dec. 1, 2020 Despite warnings, millions traveled and gathered for Thanksgiving. As officials brace for the surge ahead, they say a new approach is needed. "Testing itself isn't a bad thing, but people started using it to justify doing whatever they wanted," said Saskia Popescu, an epidemiologist at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. "And people who really needed tests couldn't get them because sites were overwhelmed." The Washington Post
UArizona Nursing Researchers Develop Web-based Skin Cancer Prevention Training for Massage Therapists Nov. 30, 2020 E-training helped massage therapists increase their knowledge of skin cancer and become more comfortable discussing risk reduction with clients. Read more Image
UA Researchers Say Shelter-in-Place Order Could Avert 'Catastrophe' in Arizona Hospitals Nov. 30, 2020 A team of university researchers says a statewide shelter-in-place order could help avert a "catastrophe" in Arizona hospitals. "It has now reached a point to where we are truly in a crisis here in Arizona. The sooner we intervene the better off we will be. Every day of delay will result in needless hospital admissions and ultimately, what we also care about — deaths," Joe Gerald, UA public health researcher and COVID-19 modeling team leader. The Arizona Republic
Coronavirus out of Control According to Health Officials Nov. 30, 2020 The health officials in charge of making models, or predictions, as to where the virus is spreading are painting a dire warning about the holidays. “If something is not done quickly, we worry that this outbreak will overwhelm our hospital system by the end of December,” said Joe Gerald, PhD, an Associate Professor of Public Health at the University of Arizona. “We’re very worried that his is a very vulnerable period.” KOLD-TV (CBS) Tucson
'Our Health Care System Is Literally at the Breaking Point' as Hospitals Run out of Space Due to Covid-19, Doctor Says Nov. 30, 2020 With more than 1 million travelers dispersing across the country in one day, health experts are asking those who gathered with people outside their households over Thanksgiving week to get tested for Covid-19. Arizona's test positivity on Monday was almost 20%. If officials there don't address the rise in cases in the next few weeks, the state will suffer hundreds of preventable deaths, the University of Arizona's Zuckerman College of Public Health said in a report Friday. CNN
Arizona COVID Modeler Says ‘Storm Coming’ in 2-4 Weeks Without Action Nov. 30, 2020 A researcher at the University of Arizona cautioned Monday that the state will be faced with a dire coronavirus situation within four weeks if no further action is taken to slow the spread of the virus. Dr. Joe Gerald, a member of the university’s COVID Modeling Team, told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Gaydos and Chad a “storm is coming” without additional guidance and mitigation strategies. KTAR-FM Phoenix
We Need a National Coronavirus Strategy. I'm Working With Both Sides to Set It Nov. 30, 2020 U.S. Sen.-elect Mark Kelly writes that the lack of a national strategy is hurting our coronavirus response and recovery. "Dr. Joe Gerald, a member of my transition team and a researcher at the University of Arizona who has been analyzing COVID-19 data, described how cases are rising quickly and that our health-care system could soon be struggling to keep up, just like it did last summer," Kelly writes. The Arizona Republic
COVID-19: Recovered Cases Immune for Six to Eight Months After Infection, Researchers Find Nov. 29, 2020 University of Arizona Heath Sciences researchers developed one of the most accurate COVID-19 antibody tests available and now have shown antibodies persist for months after infection, providing long-term immunity. Stuff (New Zealand)
Frank Porreca Shares His Thoughts on Green Light Therapy for Migraine Nov. 27, 2020 Frank Porreca, a professor of pharmacology and anesthesiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, talks about green-light exposure therapy as a low-cost, non-invasive treatment option for individuals with migraines. AJMC