The University of Arizona Health Sciences is launching Wellness Wednesdays: Celebrating Health & Holiday — a free, seven-week e-newsletter series beginning Nov. 18, designed to encourage participants and build a sense of community to increase health and decrease stress.

An opinion columnist writes that hospitals could reach capacity quickly as coronavirus cases surge in Arizona. The article cites the research of Joe Gerald, an associate professor with the University of Arizona's Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

Once a person develops immunity against COVID-19, it could last for years, a new study suggests. At the very least, exposure appears to at least set up the body for immunity “memory,’’ meaning its protective system should kick in and significantly fight off a second attack. “I don’t think it’s an unreasonable prediction to think that these immune memory components would last for years, said Immunologist Dr. Deepta Bhattacharya from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson who was not involved in the study.

Researchers found no significant difference for all-cause mortality or cardiopulmonary hospitalization among patients who received the high-dose influenza vaccine compared with those who received the lower dose. Dr. Martha Gulati, Division Chief of Cardiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, provides perspective on the study.

Arizona was in the bottom tier in three of six categories in a new American Lung Association report, which put the state dead-last for the number of patients who receive treatment after getting a diagnosis of lung cancer. Dr. Dan Derksen, associate vice president for Health Equity, Outreach & Interprofessional Activities at the University of Arizona Health Sciences, said racial and ethnic data jumped out to him because of Arizona's relatively large Hispanic and Native American populations. "Those populations are disproportionately affected for a number of reasons," he said, including the cost of health insurance, as well as cost of and access to preventive health services.

Dr. Murtaza Akhter, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine answers MSNBC viewer questions about the coronavirus vaccine.

Protecting mental health is important for fighting stress and keeping healthy. Resources are available for support during the COVID-19 era.

A recent study published in the journal “Immunity” shows people who recover from even mild COVID cases produce antibodies that are expected to protect against infection for at least five to seven months, and possibly much longer. The team of researchers, led by Deepta Bhattacharya, an immunobiologist at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, has tested nearly 30,000 people in Arizona since the research started April 30, according to a recent Healthline article.

Dr. Shad Marvasti is a guest on KTAR’s “Gaydos and Chad” show to talk about whether Arizona should enter another shutdown as Covid-19 cases continue to rise. Dr. Shad is an associate professor of family community and preventive medicine and director of public health, prevention and population health curriculum at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix.

The Arizona Center for Rural Health at the University of Arizona joins Wickenburg Community Hospital and clinics in celebrating National Rural Health Day November 19, 2020.