Health Sciences In The Media

The top U.S. public health officials announced this week that all Americans can get a booster shot starting the third week of September. The federal guidance says adults over the age of 18 will be eligible for another dose of Pfizer or Moderna eight months after their second dose. Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, professor of immunobiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, said getting a booster soon after a second shot “raises the possibility that it won’t work that well.” He explained that third doses will likely work much better after fully vaccinated people lose some of the antibodies in their systems.

Melanie L. Bell, Ph.D., from the University of Arizona in Tucson and colleagues estimated the prevalence of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) -- defined as experiencing at least one symptom ≥30 days – and the prevalence of individual symptoms among 303 non-hospitalized individuals with a positive lab-confirmed COVID-19 test and mild or moderate disease with follow-up for a median 61 days.

A free webinar, “Preventing Cognitive Decline at Late-Life,” will be hosted by the Institute for Mental Health Research (IMHR) September 9. Jordan Karp, MD, a member of the IMHR Scientific Advisory Council, who is an internationally-recognized geriatric psychiatrist, professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the College of Medicine – Tucson, will share his research on cognitive decline.

COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise in Iowa, and among the health care workers who have been vital to caring for the sickest patients are nurses. Now just about a year and a half into the pandemic, many are at risk of burning out. "We, for so long, have really shied away from making legislation about staffing, for example, and really trying to address burnout," said Jessica Rainbow, PhD, RN, an assistant professor in the College of Nursing.

The roll-out of a booster vaccine is set to start the week of Sept. 20, aimed at people who had their second dose more than eight months ago. Those most vulnerable, including seniors and health care workers, would be eligible first. Some health leaders disagree with the move saying the primary concern shouldn't be for a booster of the vaccine, but rather getting our country and those in developing countries their first dose. "I personally, at this point, would not place third boosters shots as a priority in our public health response," said Joe Gerald, MD, PhD, an associate professor of public health policy and management at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. "I still think we should be focused on getting people our first and second shots."

Many vaccinated people have questions about how much protection they have against the virus. Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, an immunobiologist at the College of Medicine – Tucson, discusses the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines, the delta variant, and whether people may need a booster shot after eight months.

University of Arizona Health Sciences has announced it will launch HealthTech Connect, a consortium designed to build opportunities for companies and organizations to pursue cutting-edge innovations in health technology.

In his latest COVID-19 Update and Forecast published on Saturday, Joe Gerald, MD, PhD, associate professor of public health policy and management with the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, predicted that hospitals would experience reductions in services. “Undoubtedly, some medically necessary procedures will likely be postponed and rescheduled over the coming weeks to make room for critically ill COVID-19 patients,” said Dr. Gerald.

Joe Gerald, MD, PhD, an associate professor of public health policy and management at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, says COVID-19 conditions in the state of Arizona are getting worse and could reach a peak by the end of the month.

Continuing coverage: University of Arizona Health Sciences researchers have developed a new therapy for Alzheimer’s disease designed to restore cognitive function in early-stage patients. The therapy is now proceeding through a Phase 2b clinical trial. Roberta Diaz Brinton, PhD, director of the UArizona Center for Innovation in Brain Science, is the lead investigator.