Health Sciences In The Media

What usually is the most lucrative time of the year for retail businesses along the U.S.-Mexico border could become another nail in the coffin for owners who already were grappling with a decrease in shoppers crossing from Mexico and other impacts from COVID-19. Dr. Cecilia Rosales, an associate dean at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix and the co-chair of the Arizona-Mexico Commission's Health Services Committee, said border community responses to the pandemic are challenged by the intricate nature of their relationships with sister cities on the other side of the border.

The first COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Arizona earlier this month and began to be distributed across the state Thursday, starting with Maricopa and Pima Counties and signaling a new phase in the fight against the virus. University of Arizona Health Sciences Biorepository Director Dr. David Harris said it was a “logical extension” for UA to store the incoming vaccines.

Paulina Ochoa never had a problem sleeping until the COVID-19 pandemic began in March and life dealt her a series of serious setbacks. Michael Grandner, who runs the Sleep and Health Research Program in the UArizona’s department of psychiatry, said he has seen a great number of people with sleep problems this year. “With everything going on during the day, they have a real hard time disconnecting,” he said.

Dr. Daniel Derksen, University of Arizona Health Sciences associate vice president, said he encourages every Arizonan to “take a look, shop and compare” coverage plans available through the ACA. It is especially important to do so in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. “This could be a devastating, bankrupting experience when you need care, and you don’t have coverage,” he added.

Since launching its COVID-19 exposure notification app in August, the University of Arizona claimed Thursday that its high usage rates have reduced “the average number of people infected on campus” by as much as 12%. “A 12% reduction in transmission doesn’t just mean you have a reduction in that next wave of cases but every subsequent wave of cases,” Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health professor Kacey Ernst said in a press release. “If one in eight can benefit from this, that’s pretty good.“

The University of Arizona has created a so-called 'freezer farm' to help store COVID-19 vaccine doses. The freezer farm has the capability of storing more than 1.6 million doses of the vaccine, according to David Harris, the executive director of the University of Arizona Health Sciences Repository.

Four doctors and one mask researcher told Business Insider the masks they recommend for situations outside of hospitals and clinics. Dr. Ricardo Correa, an endocrinologist at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, said a simple surgical mask is a good low-cost option. During procedures, Correa said, he wears an N95 mask, which contains tangled fibers to filter airborne pathogens.

Americans began receiving Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine this week. Many await their turn at what they see as a ticket to normalcy. Some are hesitant still. The question: If someone is protected from COVID-19 symptoms, can they still spread it? Hypothetically, it’s biologically possible, said Deepta Bhattacharya, UArizona College of Medicine professor of immunobiology. Still, he’s confident in the vaccine. "Until the data was released, I was hesitant, too. It lends credibility to the vaccines when, as scientists, we call it like we see it. The Pfizer and Moderna trials have been outstanding in their transparency and scientific rigor," he said.

Tens of thousands of health care workers in Maricopa County have signed up to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Shad Marvasti, director of public health, prevention and health promotion with the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, is interviewed.

University of Arizona’s College of Medicine in Phoenix had a double digit increase in the number of applications compared to last year and it could be influenced by the nation’s top infectious disease expert.