Author Archives: Kim Morris

Wohl Hopes FDA Approval Will Encourage Vaccinations David Wohl, MD, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases, talked with WRAL.com about the FDA giving fully approval to Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine. “I think this helps for those people who are on the fence,” said Wohl. “Here’s another reason, another...

Nearly one-fifth of the coronavirus infections reported in North Carolina during the first half of August were in people already fully vaccinated, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services. A WRAL.com report recognizes that while there is stable and highly effective protection against hospitalizations and severe outcomes...

As public health leaders double down on efforts to get shots to the 30% of eligible people in the U.S. that remain unvaccinated, STAT News featured UNC Health’s unique strategy to reach those who might have fallen through the cracks. During the early days of vaccine rollout “we realized that...

For incarcerated individuals whose health depends on access to specialized health care, telemedicine can ensure more timely access, as well as a better experience. Early in the pandemic, UNC Health, the UNC School of Medicine, and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (DPS) partnered to develop the capabilities for...

The 9th Annual Sickle Cell Disease Conference encompasses two virtual sessions September 24 and 25, 2021, from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. This conference is a joint activity between the UNC Sickle Cell Disease Program and Duke University School of Nursing. Session one on September 24 will provide an update...

Myron Cohen, MD, professor of medicine in infectious diseases and director of the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, said masks and vaccines remain the best line of defense against Covid in an NBC News story. “You want to prevent any disease you can, rather than treat it,...

Pay-it-forward programs, whereby someone receives a gift or free service and then gives a gift to another person in return, have expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide an opportunity for healthcare providers to reduce costs, increase uptake of interventions such as testing and vaccines, and promote sustainability. Weiming Tang,...

Jared Weiss, MD, associate professor of medicine in the division of oncology, commented on one of two treatment regimens that have shown promise for treating elderly or frail patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, according to researchers. “These results are consistent with those observed in the dose-escalation part...

A new study in mice found that adding the experimental drug entinostat to an immunotherapy-like treatment substantially boosted cancer remission. This approach shows such promise that it’s already being tested in an ongoing clinical trial in people with advanced bladder cancer. This finding, led by William Kim, MD, professor of...

David Wohl, MD, commented on new FDA criteria by which patients should be considered high-risk for severe COVID-19, expanding the pool of patients who can receive antibody treatment. In a Wall Street Journal report, Wohl said as many as 75% of adults in the US could qualify for treatment under...

The News & Observer reports on the Biden administration plans for COVID-19 vaccine boosters to combat waning immunity, as the delta variant causes cases to surge in North Carolina and the rest of the nation. Meanwhile, North Carolina reported the most hospitalizations in the state due to the virus since Jan....

Orange County Schools middle and high school students who are unvaccinated and want to play sports or take part in certain extracurricular activities will need to be tested twice a week for COVID-19. The school board decided in a unanimous vote to require the testing for students who want to be...