Tucson Mayor to Seek Mandatory City Curfew to Slow Coronavirus Spread Dec. 1, 2020 Tucson Mayor Regina Romero is set to ask the City Council to consider establishing a mandatory nightly curfew in the city starting at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1. Pima County is already under a voluntary curfew. “The epidemiology of this outbreak is well known and described, and if we do nothing, there are enough susceptible Arizonans left to sustain this outbreak for many, many weeks past Christmas and achieving levels of transmission that pale in comparison to what we’re seeing today,” said Dr. Joe Gerald, an associate professor with the UA’s Zuckerman College of Public Health. Arizona Daily Star
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
Rapid COVID-19 Tests Can Be Useful – But There Are Far Too Few to Put a Dent in the Pandemic Dec. 1, 2020 University of Arizona professors Bonnie LaFleur from the BIO5 Institute and Katherine Ellingson in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health discuss the availability and accuracy of rapid COVID-19 tests and how effective they are at slowing the spread of the virus in communities. The Conversation
Just 3 Sunbed Sessions a Year Could Increase Women's Risk of Endometriosis, Study Warns Dec. 1, 2020 A new study led by a researcher at the found that sun beds and exposure to UVA ultraviolet light not only increase the chances of developing skin cancer, but can also be linked to a greater risk of developing endometriosis, according to new research led by Leslie Farland, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Public Health. Sunday Mirror (UK)
State Posts New COVID-19 Case Record, as Possible Holiday Surge Looms Dec. 1, 2020 Arizona reported a record 10,322 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, more than twice the previous high, as cases surged ahead of a holiday season that one health expert said could be a "real scary time." Dr. Daniel Derksen, an associate vice president at the University of Arizona Health Sciences, said the holiday trips that many people took this weekend put the state in a dire circumstance in regard to the number of hospital beds. Cronkite News
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
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