Category: Infectious Diseases
Single Vaccine Dose May Offer Protection to Those Who Have Had COVID-19
Emily Ciccone, MD, MHS UNC-Chapel Hill research, led by Emily Ciccone, MD, MHS, instructor and fellow in the division of infectious diseases, and Allison Aiello, PhD, professor of epidemiology and Carolina Population Center Fellow, shows that individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 develop a significant antibody response to the first dose of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines. … Read more
Wohl Talks With Media About Second Doses of Vaccine, Eased NC Restrictions and J&J Vaccine Approval
David Wohl, MD After winter weather delayed the delivery of 6 million vaccine doses nationwide, David Wohl, MD, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases, addressed concerns about the supply of second vaccine doses in a WRAL.com interview. He explained how health systems like UNC Health planned ahead and have second doses in reserve. Find the interview here. I … Read more
UNC Health Media Briefing: Sickbert-Bennett Discusses Double-Masking and the Importance of Mask Fit
Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, and Phillip Clapp, PhD, spoke with media about research and guidance on wearing masks, double-masking, and the importance of mask material and fit. Find a link to the briefing in the UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine Newsroom. Sickbert-Bennett and Clapp were also featured in a Yahoo News article explaining these gu … Read more
US Failing to Reach Those Most in Need of HIV Prevention, Treatment Services in South and Rural Areas
Adaora A. Adimora, MD, MPH Adaora Adimora, MD, MPH, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases, co-authored a six-paper series in The Lancet focused on racial, sexual, and gender minorities continuing to be affected by HIV at significantly higher rates than white people, a disparity also reflected in the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more from the UNC Health and UNC … Read more
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Sickbert-Bennett Discusses Mask Fit and Efficiency
Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS, associate professor of infectious diseases, in the division of infectious diseases, and director of the UNC Medical Center Infection Prevention, continues to share perspective and study learnings about mask filtration efficiencies. She contributed to the following news reports this month. How to avoid buying counter … Read more
Gay Responds to Myths and Suspicions About COVID-19 Vaccine Efficacy and Safety
Cindy Gay, MD, MPH Cindy Gay, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine, division of infectious diseases and medical director of the UNC HIV Cure Center, responded to myths and suspicions about the efficacy and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine in the Charlotte Post. The report acknowledges that while ‘some people have died from the vaccine,’ a close look at the details of these deat … Read more
Antiviral Proves Effective at Preventing, Treating COVID-19 In Lab
Using a novel in vivo research model containing human lung tissue, UNC School of Medicine scientists led by Victor Garcia, PhD, and Angela Wahl, PhD, demonstrated that the broad spectrum, experimental drug EIDD-2801 proved dramatically effective at preventing and treating SARS-CoV-2 infection in human tissue in the lab. Victor Garcia, MD The number of new COVID-19 cases continues … Read more
UNC Health Talk: Should You Wear Two Masks?
Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS, associate professor in the division of infectious diseases, and director of UNC Medical Center Infection Prevention, explains new guidance about layering masks, released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Learn more in this UNC Health Talk article.
Report from Malawi: Weathering a second wave—or tsunami—of COVID-19
Mina Hosseinipour, MD, MPH By Mina Hosseinipour, MD, MPH Officials announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Malawi on April 2, 2020. At UNC Project Malawi, we’d been working for a month to carefully review and prepare for the virus. We established COVID preventive procedures and clinical management guidelines and planning for staff and staff relatives. We enhanced our ox … Read more
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Oral Drug Could Be Used to Prevent and Treat COVID-19 Infections
J. Victor Garcia, PhD The News & Observer reports that a drug tested at UNC-Chapel Hill could be used to both prevent and treat COVID-19 infections, according to new research published in Nature by senior author J. Victor Garcia, PhD. “This is something that is giving us hope that there might be an alternative that can be available in addition to the vaccine to help with the … Read more
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Wohl Talks With Media About COVID, Vaccine Distribution and FDA Approval of HIV Treatment
David Wohl, MD David Wohl, MD, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases, continues to share perspective and guidance with North Carolina media. In February, he contributed to the following news stories about COVID-19. Demographic breakdown remains steady even as hospital numbers decline, figures show – (CBS-17) UNC doctor debunks several myths surrounding the … Read more
Testing Asymptomatic Healthcare Personnel for COVID-19 Not Recommended
David Weber, MD, MPH Routine testing of asymptomatic healthcare personnel (HCP) in the absence of confirmed exposures to COVID-19 is not a recommended strategy for preventing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 causing the current global pandemic, according to a new review co-authored by David Weber, MD, MPH, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases and medical directo … Read more