In hard-hit Arizona, the crisis will get worse, said Dr. Joe K. Gerald, associate professor of public health policy and management at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. "We should expect to set new records for cases, hospitalizations, and deaths over the coming weeks. Policy action is urgently needed to mitigate the worst possible outcome," Gerald wrote.

In hard-hit Arizona, the disaster will worsen, according to Joe Gerald, associate professor at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. “We should expect to set new records for cases, hospitalizations, and deaths over the coming weeks. Policy action is urgently needed to mitigate the worst possible outcome,” Gerald wrote.

Pfizer and Moderna say their vaccines are about 95% effective at preventing people from getting sick with COVID symptoms. Preliminary evidence from Moderna showed that participants in a clinical trial who received the vaccine and were tested for COVID between their first and second doses had a roughly two-thirds reduction in asymptomatic infections. "That means there’s a substantial, substantial reduction in overall infections just from that first dose," said Deepta Bhattacharya, an associate professor of immunobiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson.

Naomi Bishop, an associate librarian, at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix, is one of this year’s I Love My Librarian Award winners, presented by the American Library Association and sponsored by Carnegie Corporation of New York. Each honoree receives $7,500, and a $750 donation to their library. The winners are nominated by library patrons for "expertise, dedication and profound impact" on their communities. Bishop was one of 10 winners for being "a champion for social justice."

Scarring of lungs, shortness of breath, lack of smell and inflammation of the heart, are but some of the ailments COVID-19 leaves in patients long after the acute illness has passed. “We’ve also seen these long-term COVID symptoms with people who have been very mildly symptomatic and young and otherwise healthy. So, we don’t completely understand it,” said Dr. Shad Marvasti, from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix.

California had the worst coronavirus infection rate in the nation last week. Now, Arizona has claimed that grim distinction, with one university health expert calling it “the hot spot of the world.” Joe Gerald, a professor of public health policy and management at the University of Arizona, said the state pushed down the curve over the summer with restrictions on businesses including restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theaters and water parks.

Doctors from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson Department of Psychiatry said they are seeing an increasing number of patients battling mental health issues. "Initially there might have been a bit of honeymoon period," Dr. Jordan Karp, Department of Psychiatry professor and chair. That period is long over. It has been almost one year since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Karp said recent events are taking a toll on many.

The antibody test developed at the UArizona Health Sciences can be used to confirm a positive antibody response after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

Continuing coverage: Glen Fogerty, associate dean of admissions and recruitment at the University of Arizona College of Medicine — Phoenix, talks to "The Show" co-host Mark Brodie about the rise in applications to medical school due to the so-called "Fauci Effect."

Continuing coverage: In advance of the 65th anniversary of her breast cancer diagnosis, Tucson businesswoman Ginny Clements has given $8.5 million to the University of Arizona Cancer Center.