Category: Infectious Diseases
Media Briefing On COVID-19 Clinical Trials
Cindy Gay, MD Each week during the COVID-19 pandemic, UNC Health Media Relations has hosted a media briefing, and this week the team featured three UNC experts to discuss clinical trials for vaccines and treatments. From the division of infectious diseases and the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, this week’s briefing included Cindy Gay, MD, associate profe … Read more
Gay, Wohl Explain the Need For Volunteers, Particularly People of Color, For COVID-19 Vaccine Trials
Cynthia Gay, MD, MPH A News & Observer article reports UNC Health and the School of Medicine are looking for 500 people willing to test a potential vaccine for COVID-19, one of what could be several opportunities for Triangle residents to take part in vaccine clinical trials for coronavirus in the coming months. The trials are open to almost everyone, but researchers are part … Read more
Wohl Says Off Campus Activities Likely To Blame For UNC Virus Outbreak
David Wohl, MD David Wohl, MD, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases talked to WRAL News abut the recent coronavirus outbreak that prompted the university to move classes online. “I think this was a valiant attempt at seeing whether or not we can get this to happen,” Wohl said. “To be clear though, it looked like the faculty, students and staff were doing a … Read more
UNC Cancels In Person Undergraduate Classes After Coronavirus Campus Outbreak
Joseph Eron, MD A CNBC News story reported on the cancelling of in person classes at UNC, recognizing the Covid-19 “positivity” rate jumped to 13.6% as of Sunday from 2.8% a week before. Some 135 students and staff tested positive over the last week, according to the university’s online coronavirus dashboard. Joe Eron, MD, chief of infectious diseases, recommended students “self- … Read more
UNC Launches In Person Despite Pandemic
David Weber, MD, MPH The Washington Post featured UNC’s in person opening and interviewed UNC Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz who “defended the fall launch as safe and consistent with its public mission.” In the article Guskiewicz says was developed with guidance of experts in infectious disease and epidemiology. He added that as a father to a Chapel Hill student, he had a person … Read more
Researchers Create Mask Filtration Effectiveness Hierarchy
Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS, and her dad William Bennett, PhD Research conducted at an EPA facility on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus shows that expired and sterilized used N95 masks are still very good at protecting wearers. With so many options, infection prevention experts at the UNC Medical Center set out to gather evidence on the fitted filtration efficiency of dozens of dif … Read more
-
Sickbert-Bennett Tells WRAL What Students Need to Know Before Going Back-to-School
Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS, associate professor in infectious diseases and director of infection prevention at UNC Hospitals, told WRAL that college students should start with masks that are comfortable enough to wear a lot. “Make sure your child knows how to clean their own bathroom and knows how to clean kitchen areas,” Sickbert-Bennett said … Read more
Cohen Featured on FiveThirtyEight Podcast
Myron Cohen, MD FiveThirtyEight podcast host Anna Rothschild spoke to Myron Cohen, MD, director of the UNC Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases, the Yeargan-Bate Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, and Epidemiology, and Associate Vice Chancellor for Global Health and Medical Affairs at UNC-Chapel Hill, about lab-grown antibodies called … Read more
Sickbert-Bennett Weighs In On the Question Of COVID Spread By Books
Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS The magazine Romper recently asked experts whether or not the COVID-19 virus can live on books. Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS, associate professor of medicine in infectious diseases and director of infection prevention at UNC Hospitals, told Romper “the fact that coronavirus can survive on surfaces for several hours is not enough alone to lead to … Read more
-
Weber Tells Washington Post COVID-19 Will Wax and Wane
David Weber, MD, MPH David Weber, MD, MPH, professor of medicine in infectious diseases, said the term “second wave” has been used to describe trends during past outbreaks, including the 1918 influenza and 2003 SARS outbreak in Toronto, in a recent Washington Post interview. In those instances, unlike most countries’ coronavirus outbreaks, “they essentially got down to zero” new … Read more
-
Sickbert-Bennett Discusses Neck Gaiters Versus Face Masks With USA Today
Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, MS A USA Today article recognizes that a recent Duke University study found polyester/spandex gaiters less effective at preventing the spread of respiratory droplets than face masks, and experts agree more tests are needed, and that wearing something is always better than nothing. Emily Sickbert-Bennett, PhD, associate professor of infectious diseases … Read more
Department of Medicine Grants & Funding: July 1 – July 31, 2020
Division of Geriatric Medicine Joshua Niznik, PharmD, PhD, was awarded pilot funding from the US Deprescribing Research Network (USDeN) for his proposal entitled “Deprescribing Bisphosphonates in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia.” Division of Hematology Stephan Moll, MD, received an award from the Anticoagulation Forum for “2020 Clinical Fellowship Award in General Vascular M … Read more