Children Produce Weaker Coronavirus Antibodies, Study Finds Nov. 6, 2020 Children infected with the coronavirus produce weaker antibodies and fewer types of them than adults do, suggesting they clear their infection much faster, according to a new study. "Having a ton of antibody isn't necessarily a marker of a good thing," said Deepta Bhattacharya, an immunologist at the University of Arizona. "It usually means that something went wrong early in the response." Chicago Tribune, 11/06/20
Party Foul: Campus Cases on Rise as Police Encounter More Student Gatherings Nov. 5, 2020 The University of Arizona is reporting elevated COVID-19 cases reflective of a state-wide uptick after large gatherings occurred over the Halloween weekend, reported UA President Robert C. Robbins and campus reentry task force head Dr. Richard Carmona in a news conference Monday, Nov. 2. Tucson Weekly
Special Education Aid in Phoenix Dies after COVID-19 Diagnosis Nov. 5, 2020 As COVID-19 cases continue to surge across Arizona with 39 more deaths reported Wednesday morning, University of Arizona College of Medicine (Phoenix) Public Health Director and physician Dr. Shad Marvasti says school officials need to think about the impact the virus could have on schools as we the holiday and influenza season, suggesting they may need to go completely virtual. KPNX-TV (Phoenix, AZ)
An Election Worker in Connecticut Tested Positive for COVID-19, Prompting a Dozen Colleagues to Go into Quarantine Nov. 5, 2020 Despite the incident at city hall in New Haven, Connecticut, the risk of contracting the coronavirus while voting in person is about the same as when ordering takeout, one epidemiologist previously told Business Insider. "There are so many safety protocols put into place for safe voting that it is really a lower-risk activity," Saskia Popescu, an epidemiologist and leading expert on coronavirus transmission at the University of Arizona told Business Insider. Business Insider
Connecting with Dean Hakim: Changing World of Public Health Nov. 4, 2020 Dr. Iman Hakim shares her views on the pandemic, changes in public health education, and her pride in the college. Read more Thumbnail
From Med-Start to PCP Scholarship: One Student’s Journey Nov. 4, 2020 The Health Sciences Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion has built a health care career pipeline for students from underrepresented communities. Read more Image
UA Poetry Center Gets Emergency Funding; UA Cancer Center Receives Innovator Award Nov. 4, 2020 The Association of Community Cancer Centers has honored the University of Arizona Cancer Center at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson with its 2020 Innovator Award. Arizona Daily Star
What to Know About the Rapid COVID Tests Nov. 4, 2020 Rapid tests may not be sensitive enough to detect asymptomatic people with low levels of infection, according to a new study from the University of Arizona led by Dr. David Harris. In symptomatic people, a rapid test could detect 80% of coronavirus infections found by a slower, lab-based P.C.R. test. But when the rapid test was used instead to randomly screen students and staff members who did not feel sick, it detected only 32% of positive cases. KXAS-TV (Fort Worth, TX)
How Long Do Flu Germs Live on Hard Surfaces, Fabric, and Skin Nov. 4, 2020 The influenza virus that causes the flu tends to live longest on hard surfaces, says Kelly Reynolds, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona's Zuckerman College of Public Health. "Flu viruses survive for 24 to 48 hours on stainless steel and plastic," Reynolds says. MSN
Lung Ultrasound Education Program Aimed at Rural Emergency Departments to Aid COVID-19 Diagnosis Nov. 4, 2020 The University of Arizona Health Sciences is developing a lung ultrasound education program for rural emergency medicine providers to better diagnose COVID-19. Lung ultrasound can be particularly useful in rural emergency departments (EDs), as many lack CT scan capabilities or have limited access to COVID-19 testing. With the disparate impact of COVID-19 on rural populations in Arizona, it is important to expand use of the imaging tool across the state. RT Magazine