Experts say that even after the pandemic is over, masking up on a plane is a smart idea — and for some, it should be common practice. “We still have high levels of transmission, the threat of new variants and limited vaccine access,” said Kacey Ernst, an infectious-disease epidemiologist at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, noting that global access will probably stay low even after the vaccine is readily available in the United States. “Air travel brings together people from all across the world, meaning risk gets pooled. As long as there is high levels of transmission, I expect the mask mandate will hold.”

When there are barriers to accessing health care, Mobile Health Units meet people where they are.

To make COVID vaccine distribution more equitable, the College of Public Health is deploying Mobile Health Units to underserved populations in Maricopa County.

While COVID-19 vaccines are proven to be effective, it is still unclear if a booster shot will be needed after the initial doses. Dr. Shad Marvasti with the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix says it depends on immunity response. “We don’t know ultimately how long the immunity will last from the vaccine. We know that it’s going to be at least three months, if not, maybe six months, potentially up to a year," Marvasti said.

The University of Arizona College of Nursing recently expanded its program. Connie Miller, a clinical associate professor, is interviewed.

Interview with Dr. Michael Grandner, Director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson.

UArizona Health Sciences researchers are improving health by studying the interactions that govern the immune defense system against invading microbes.

Columnist Joanna Allhands interviews medical experts about COVID-19 recovery. "When we say 'recovered,' it's in terms of how likely you are to transmit the virus to others," said Deepta Bhattacharya, an immunologist at the University of Arizona College of Medicine –Tucson.

The COVID-19 vaccine is a powerful tool, but doctors still urge caution. The vaccine is effective at preventing severe illness from coronavirus, but it's unclear how it impacts transmission. "Being vaccinated means you're at low risk, not no risk, and so we still should be mindful of the most high-risk activities like indoor dining, large public gatherings," said Joe Gerald, an associate professor in the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

Millions of people in the U.S. are drinking water that fails to meet federal health standards, including by violating limits for dangerous contaminants. Latinos are disproportionately exposed, according to the Guardian's review of more than 140,000 public water systems across the U.S. and county-level demographic data. Paloma Beamer, an exposure science researcher at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, found that most Latino residents in Nogales, Arizona, thought that drinking tap water was as unsafe as drinking alcohol and driving, and more detrimental to their health than smoking.