The Association of Community Cancer Centers has honored the University of Arizona Cancer Center at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson with its 2020 Innovator Award.

Rapid tests may not be sensitive enough to detect asymptomatic people with low levels of infection, according to a new study from the University of Arizona led by Dr. David Harris. In symptomatic people, a rapid test could detect 80% of coronavirus infections found by a slower, lab-based P.C.R. test. But when the rapid test was used instead to randomly screen students and staff members who did not feel sick, it detected only 32% of positive cases.

The influenza virus that causes the flu tends to live longest on hard surfaces, says Kelly Reynolds, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona's Zuckerman College of Public Health. "Flu viruses survive for 24 to 48 hours on stainless steel and plastic," Reynolds says.

The University of Arizona Health Sciences is developing a lung ultrasound education program for rural emergency medicine providers to better diagnose COVID-19. Lung ultrasound can be particularly useful in rural emergency departments (EDs), as many lack CT scan capabilities or have limited access to COVID-19 testing. With the disparate impact of COVID-19 on rural populations in Arizona, it is important to expand use of the imaging tool across the state.

Recognizing that Thanksgiving poses an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission due to holiday travel, the University of Arizona will test students before the holiday and switch to remote learning after. Current plans do include a return to in-person classes to start the spring semester, but the UA could still revert to online-only classes, according to Dr. Richard Carmona, director of the re-entry task force, if cases continue to increase locally and nationally.

In a letter to the editor, Zoe Baccam, a graduate student at the University of Arizona's Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, argued that being tired of COVID-19 and its precautions is "an invalid excuse" to not follow health and safety guidelines.

Dr. Donna D. Zhang’s research focuses on developing pharmaceuticals to prevent or treat exposure to arsenic, which has affected more than 160 million people worldwide.

Advice to medical students who may be doing their residency interviews virtually. Cheryl O'Malley, associate dean for graduate medical education at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, is quoted.

Sairam Parthasarathy, MD, chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine in the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson, leads the Arizona effort to reduce disparities in underrepresented communities in COVID-19 research and clinical trials.

The Phoenix Biomedical Campus, which includes the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, serves as a natural extension of the learning environment. Allison Otu, executive director of corporate and community relations for UArizona Health Sciences, is quoted.