Dr. Michael Johnson believes his remote summer internship program will continue opening doors for underrepresented students, even in the post-COVID-19 era.

Dr. Murtaza Akhter, an emergency physician at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, breaks down what the surge of COIVD-19 cases in Michigan means for other states in the U.S.

COVID-19 vaccines will likely provide at least some degree of protection for a long time because there are so many layers of immunity, said Deepta Bhattacharya, an associate professor of immunobiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. The first shots of the two-shot Pfizer and Moderna vaccines provide reasonable protection. Then the second shot bumps up the level of antibodies and T cells produced by the body, he said.

More than 23% of Arizonans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. However, the virus still continues to move through the community as thousands of new COVID-19 cases are reported each week. Joe Gerald, an associate professor in the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, calls the trend a "plateau" after a decline in cases following the winter surge. Gerald said looser COVID-19 restrictions and more transmissible variants are part of the reasons why the change in the data.

Researchers are exploring whether perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) might worsen infections or hamper vaccine effectiveness. Seeking to gauge effects in a particularly hard hit population, a CDC-supported study called AZ HEROES, is tracking COVID-19 infections and antibody levels in Arizona healthcare workers, emergency responders, and other essential workers. The study is led by researchers at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are reporting having what are now known as "pandemic dreams." Michael Grandner, director of the Sleep and Health Clinic at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, answers questions from four people about where their dreams have taken them over the past year.

"Outside is protective, but it’s not a total risk eliminator," said Saskia Popescu, an infectious disease epidemiologist and adjunct professor at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. "When we’re seeing transmission outdoors, it’s people who are close to each other, talking face to face. The three key factors to consider are distance, duration, and intensity," she says.

While all of the COVID-19 vaccines being administered in Arizona have been proven safe and effective, experts say, some of the claims of vaccine side effects may not be true. Dr. Lori Fantry, an infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, said while the COVID-19 vaccines are known to have common side effects like chills, fatigue, a headache or a sore arm, there are claims circulating that likely aren't legitimately from the vaccine itself.

Researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences are trying to find out if vaccinated people can spread the coronavirus. The study, called PreventCOVIDU, is enlisting 12,000 students from more than 20 universities across the country to determine if fully vaccinated people need to continue wearing masks or social distancing. Dr. Elizabeth Connick, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson, is leading the research site.

Mary Putz, a third-year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, is pursuing her dreams of becoming a pediatric doctor. With a $35,000 scholarship, the Arizona Lottery is helping her reach that goal.