UW researchers respond to novel coronavirus (COVID-19)

COVID-19 experts for reporters

Here are the most recent stories of UW experts commenting on the novel coronavirus epidemic

In addition to UW researchers from a variety of disciplines offering their expertise to journalists covering the novel coronavirus, UW Medicine researchers are leading the way in the detection and prevention of COVID-19 and other coronaviruses. In fact, our researchers have sequenced COVID-19’s genome, identified the architecture and mechanisms of COVID-19, created a new laboratory test to expedite diagnostics and are crowd-sourcing a cure, among other efforts.

This page is updated every week day. For more information on the coronavirus, visit uw.edu/coronavirus. 

Some of the stories below may require a third-party subscription. 

• Vaccinated Pope Francis heads to Iraq amid covid outbreak | The Washington Post6 hours ago
  When Pope Francis embarks this week on his first trip abroad since the pandemic began, everybody on board, from priests to journalists, will be vaccinated. But then Francis will arrive in Iraq — where the coronavirus is raging. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• 'It is exciting': Multiple sclerosis vaccine could be byproduct of COVID-19 technology | The Spokesman-Review6 hours ago
  The breakthrough technology deployed to vaccinate against COVID-19 also has led to a promising new approach to preventing the progression of multiple sclerosis. Dr. Annette Wundes, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• 'When will it end?': How a changing virus is reshaping scientists’ views on COVID-19 | Reuters7 hours ago
  Data in recent weeks on new variants from South Africa and Brazil has undercut optimism about the vaccine's ability to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. They now believe that SARS-CoV-2 will not only remain with us as an endemic virus, continuing to circulate in communities, but will likely cause a significant burden of illness and death for years to come. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Scientists want virtual meetings to stay after the COVID-19 pandemic | Nature19 hours ago
  A Nature poll shows that a year of online research conferences has brought big benefits, but blending them with in-person meetings in future will be a challenge. Hawley Helmbrecht, a doctoral student in chemical engineering at the UW, is referenced.
• COVID-19 case counts are declining | KUOW1 day ago
  Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, said that we may be seeing a drop in cases, because we are coming to the end of a winter surge as a result of holiday gatherings and seasonality.
• COVID-19 vaccine and pregnancy: Everything you need to know | Glamour1 day ago
  Medical experts explain the latest research and what pregnant people should consider when deciding whether to get the shot. Dr. Linda Eckert, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Vaccine passports, COVID-19's next political flash point | The New York Times1 day ago
  A world divided between the vaccinated and unvaccinated promises relief for economies and families, but the ethical and practical risks are high. Nicole Errett, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
• UW Medicine faces vaccine shortage, stops scheduling first dose appointments | KING 51 day ago
  UW Medicine said it understands that the shortage is difficult news for those who are eligible and ready for the first dose of the vaccine.
• Experts concerned people will view Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine as inferior | KOMO 42 days ago
  Doctors said the new Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine offers strong protection against coronavirus. However, some experts are concerned people will view this vaccine as second-class or inferior to Moderna’s and Pfizer’s. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, and Dr. Anna Wald, professor of medicine, of epidemiology, and of laboratory medicine and pathology at the UW, are quoted.
• Twitter to label tweets that may mislead about COVID-19 vaccines | USA Today2 days ago
  Twitter is bolstering its efforts to point out misinformation on the platform, a long-standing problem across social media that has taken on new urgency amid last year's election and through the pandemic. Kolina Koltai, a postdoctoral researcher at the UW Center for an Informed Public, is quoted.
• UW study: About 30% of people who get coronavirus experience long haul symptoms | seattlepi.com2 days ago
  Over the past year, more than 300,000 people across Washington have had COVID-19. Only a fraction of those cases resulted in hospitalizations and deaths, but the lingering impacts of the virus are continuing to affect the lives of even people who didn't have severe cases. Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, and Nicholas Franko, a research scientist in Chu's lab, are quoted.
• 500 people vaccinated today | KOMO 42 days ago
  UW Medicine's Deborah Gussman says that by vaccinating people in Kent, in their own community, they are reaching people who otherwise might not have been able to access the vaccine.
• Verify: Herd immunity by April | KTVB2 days ago
  Dr. Martin Makary at Johns Hopkins University claimed we will reach herd immunity by April. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, says that 20% of the population has been infected, and 20% will have been vaccinated by April, percentages that are not high enough to represent herd immunity. [This appeared on multiple outlets]
• Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine comparable to other vaccines | KOMO Radio2 days ago
  Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, says the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is slightly less effective than mRNA vaccines, but similar enough to help bring an end to the pandemic.
• Vaccine supply will be joined by Johnson & Johnson's one-dose vaccine | NPR2 days ago
  Johnson & Johnson's vaccine ships this week. It is 66% effective at preventing mild to moderate cases of COVID-19, and 93% effective at keeping people who do get the disease out of the hospital. Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• Should you be concerned about J&J’s vaccine being less effective? 'Absolutely not,’ doctor says | Today2 days ago
  Dr. Vin Gupta, affiliate assistant professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, says although Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine is less effective than the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, Americans should “absolutely not” have any reservations about the single-dose shot because it “checks all the boxes.”
• As schools reopen, should they change how they approach academics? Here are trends to watch | The Seattle Times2 days ago
  On the limited measures of assessing student progress — based on tests administered online, where students are home with help or distractions and facing deep mental health issues — they are losing ground in math, while they’re generally sustaining their reading knowledge, during the pandemic. Dan Goldhaber, director of the Center for Education Data & Research at the UW, is quoted.
• The bumpy road to herd immunity | CNN2 days ago
  What will it take to achieve herd immunity? CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, about the role of vaccinations, variants and preventative behavior on the "Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction" podcast.
• How prisoners feel about the COVID-19 vaccine | Slate2 days ago
  A survey of the incarcerated showed widespread interest in the coronavirus vaccine as well as pervasive distrust of the prison medical system. A UW study is mentioned.
• Challenges deep for improving sexual and reproductive health, study says | US News2 days ago
  The COVID-19 pandemic and previous U.S. policies have damaged the global health landscape, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Jennifer Balkus, assistant professor of epidemiology at the UW, is referenced.
• CDC advisers recommend Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine | The Washington Post2 days ago
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending the nation’s third coronavirus vaccine for people 18 and older, paving the way for the easier-to-use, one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine to be administered starting this week. Dr. Beth Bell, clinical professor of global health at the UW, is quoted.
• One year after seeing first COVID-19 death, Washington expected to surpass 5,000 this week | The Seattle Times2 days ago
  Washington is expected to surpass 5,000 COVID-19 deaths this week — almost exactly a year after the first was announced in the United States. The UW's Dr. Peter Rabinowitz, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and director of the Center for One Health Research, and Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, are quoted.
• Experts say the Johnson and Johnson vaccine could help rural communities | Q132 days ago
  Friday, an expert FDA panel made up of US Health Advisers unanimously endorsed the one-dose Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Dan Bustillos, assistant professor of nursing and health services at UW Bothell, is interviewed.
• How can I convince someone to get the COVID-19 vaccine? | The Atlantic3 days ago
  “Vaccine hesitancy” isn’t one thing. It is a constellation of motivations, insecurities, reasonable fears, and less reasonable conspiracy theories. Kolina Koltai, a postdoctoral researcher at the UW Center for an Informed Public, is quoted.
• Has the COVID-19 pandemic forever altered human behavior? | The Seattle Times3 days ago
  It feels like the pandemic is changing everything, but as vaccine rollout progresses and we squint at what appears to be a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, the question to ask now is whether any real changes we’ve had to adopt during a year of pandemic life will stick around in the years to come. The UW’s Steve Goodreau, professor of anthropology, and Fabio Ghironi, professor of economics, are quoted.
• FDA greenlights Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine | KIRO 73 days ago
  The U.S Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization to the Johnson and Johnson vaccine late Saturday. The decision paves the way for more than 60,000 of the one-shot doses to be sent to our state as early as next week. Deborah Fuller, professor of microbiology in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• As variants spread, mask wearing and social distancing are critical | CNN5 days ago
  Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, says that the trajectory of COVID-19 will be driven by seasonality, vaccinations and spread of the new variants and that the behavior will determine whether there's a spring surge.
• FDA panel consider Johnson & Johnson vaccine approval | MSNBC5 days ago
  Dr. Vin Gupta, affiliate assistant professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, says the quicker you get the vaccine, regardless of which one you get, the quicker you will be protected from the devastating effects of COVID-19.
• At-home COVID-19 testing is here | The New York Times5 days ago
  The United States Food and Drug Administration has authorized dozens of test-by-mail kits, and three at-home tests. These tests are not nearly as accurate as those taken in a clinic, but experts say coronavirus tests that can be done at home play an important role as the country continues to reopen. Jennifer Bacci, assistant professor of pharmacy at the UW, is quoted.
• US coronavirus infections are way down — can we keep them that way? | NPR5 days ago
  With coronavirus infections on a steady, month-long descent in the U.S., it's clear the worst days of the brutal winter surge have waned. But what caused the turnaround, and can it last? Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Labs can’t tell you if you have a COVID-19 variant, a problem for tracking and prevention | PBS NewsHour5 days ago
  COVID-19 infections from variant strains are quickly spreading across the U.S., but there’s one big problem: Lab officials say they can’t tell patients or their doctors whether someone has been infected by a variant. Dr. Alex Greninger, assistant professor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• After getting COVID-19 vaccine, here's why you should still mask up | Patch5 days ago
  Experts say it is still unclear whether getting the COVID-19 vaccine will prevent people from spreading the coronavirus to other people. Marion Pepper, associate professor of immunology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Can you stop wearing masks after vaccination? Here’s what doctors say | Allure5 days ago
  Masks are now a part of our everyday lives, but with vaccination rates increasing — and the looming threat of more contagious variants — new questions have arisen. Do you still need a mask if you’ve been vaccinated? Does it all depend on herd immunity? Dr. Paul Drain, associate professor of global health and of medicine at the UW, is quoted.
• Coping with ‘long COVID’ – the mysterious symptoms that won’t go away | KIRO 75 days ago
  Thousands of people in Washington are coping with long-term COVID-19 symptoms that just won’t go away. Often, the symptoms are severe enough to dramatically interfere with normal life. Dr. Aaron Bunnell, assistant professor of rehabilitation medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• Opinion: Two masks could be one too many | The Boston Globe5 days ago
  "The Centers for Disease Control now says you're better off doubling up on certain kinds of masks. But after talking to several experts and examining the research, I'm sticking with one mask for now — one that fits well and has several layers — and I fear the CDC's recommendation is confusing," writes freelance writer Christine Szalinski. Jennifer Balkus, assistant professor of epidemiology at the UW, is quoted.
• What we know about the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine: Timing, dosage, access in Washington | The Seattle Times5 days ago
  A year after doctors identified an outbreak of coronavirus in the Seattle area, a third vaccine is expected to arrive soon to bolster the arsenal against the virus, now responsible for more than 500,000 deaths in the United States. Janet Baseman, professor of epidemiology at the UW, is quoted.
• Verify: Having a medical condition does not guarantee COVID-19 vaccine eligibility | KING 55 days ago
  Having a medical condition does not always guarantee priority access to the COVID-19 vaccine because states have different vaccine eligibility requirements. Dr. Vin Gupta, affiliate assistant professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is interviewed.
• Analysis: Can vaccinated people still spread the coronavirus? | The Conversation5 days ago
  Deborah Fuller, professor of microbiology in the UW School of Medicine, explains what the science shows about transmission post-vaccination – and whether new variants could change this equation.
• Some research suggests Biden’s school reopening goal has already been achieved | PolitiFact5 days ago
  There is no publicly available government accounting of how many schools have reopened to in-person learning. But research from several organizations suggests that Joe Biden’s goal to have in-person classes at more than half of U.S. schools at least one day a week was met before he took office. The Center on Reinventing Public Education at UW Bothell is referenced.
• The coronavirus is plotting a comeback — here’s our chance to stop it for good | The New York Times6 days ago
  Many scientists are expecting another rise in infections. But this time the surge will be blunted by vaccines and, hopefully, widespread caution. By summer, Americans may be looking at a return to normal life. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.
• Drastic drop in flu deaths a side effect of coronavirus restrictions | KUOW6 days ago
  Last year, as coronavirus took hold in the U.S., public health officials began to warn us about influenza, which kills tens of thousands of people every year in the U.S. With spring on the horizon, here's what we know about flu season: We didn't really have one. Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• As hospital numbers fall, fatigued staff get relief at last | Associated Press6 days ago
  The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S. has dropped by 80,000 in six weeks, and 17% of the nation’s adult population has gotten at least one dose of a vaccine, providing some relief to front-line workers. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Need for COVID-19 tests will continue even after vaccinations are widespread | KOMO 46 days ago
  Dr. Jay Fathi, clinical assistant professor of family medicine in the UW School of Medicine, says that there will still be a role of COVID-19 tests after vaccinations are widespread, including in schools and in the workplace.
• FDA expected to authorize Johnson & Johnson vaccine | MSNBC6 days ago
  Dr. Vin Gupta, affiliate assistant professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, says that the authorization of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is exciting news for the vaccine effort because only one shot is required and it has less stringent storage requirements.
• New tool tracks those most vulnerable to COVID-19 | KUOW6 days ago
  Esther Min, a research consultant with the UW’s Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, talks about how a new COVID-19 mapping tool combines census information with data from the CDC to help Seattle understand communities at the greatest risk during the pandemic.
• COVID-19 mapping tool will help distribute COVID-19 vaccines more equitably | KOMO Radio6 days ago
  A COVID-19 mapping tool developed by the UW Department of Environmental and Occupational Health will help guide Seattle about where to set up mass vaccination sites, mobile clinics and pop-up vaccine locations to improve access for those underserved by current vaccine efforts.
• Pregnant women have 70% higher chance of contracting COVID-19, study says | KOMO 46 days ago
  We now know pregnant women in Washington appear to be at a much higher risk for COVID-19. Dr. Kristina Adams Waldorf, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• Doctors unsure of how COVID-19 variant strains will impact state's virus cases | KOMO 46 days ago
  Doctors are not exactly sure how the UK and South African variants will impact our case trends across the state going forward. However, it certainly leaves a lot of questions marks about how much progress we’ll make in the pandemic by this summer. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is interviewed.
• Have a question about COVID-19 vaccines in Washington? Here are all of the resources you need | seattlepi.com6 days ago
  The article recommends resources, including UW Medicine's FAQ on COVID-19 vaccines, for people looking for appointments, wondering when they will be eligible or who have other questions about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines.
• If COVID-19 doubles in the community, it doubles in schools, Seattle disease modeling group finds | The Seattle Times7 days ago
  Modelers at the Seattle-based Institute for Disease Modeling attempting to close in on answers to big questions about how the coronavirus spreads between schools and the community, but is facing pushback from a handful of researchers who say the group’s mathematical modeling should be tested against real-world results. The UW's Dan Goldhaber, director of the Center for Education Data & Research, and Judith Malmgren, affiliate assistant professor of epidemiology, are interviewed.
• Study shows growth of West Coast COVID-19 variant | KIRO 77 days ago
  New research is raising concerns about a West Coast COVID-19 variant that’s already in Washington. Dr. Alex Greninger, assistant professor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• California covid variant B.1.427/B.1.429 is more transmissible, studies show | The Washington Post7 days ago
  A coronavirus variant detected in California this winter rapidly became dominant in the state over five months and now makes up more than half of the infections in 44 counties, according to new research from scientists who believe this version of the virus should be declared a “variant of concern warranting urgent follow-up investigation.” A UW study is quoted.
• Have a case of COVID-19 variant? No one is going to tell you | NBC News7 days ago
  As experts race to get an approved test for coronavirus variants, officials are severely restricted from sharing information about the cases. Dr. Alex Greninger, assistant professor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• NIH to study 'long-haul' coronavirus symptoms, and their effects | KING 57 days ago
  The National Institutes of Health is launching new research to try and understand the causes and consequences of the lingering brain fog, breathing problems and malaise reported by many recovering COVID-19 patients. Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Fauci: New data suggest 'long COVID' symptoms last up to 9 months | The Hill7 days ago
  Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, on Wednesday announced that newly-released data suggests that long-term symptoms associated with COVID-19 can linger for nearly nine months following infection. A UW study is referenced.
• New UW mapping tool to help Seattle officials improve equity in city's vaccine rollout | seattlepi.com7 days ago
  A new mapping tool created by the University of Washington Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences will help officials in Seattle reach the most vulnerable and underserved communities and improve equity in the city's coronavirus vaccine rollout.
• UW maps Seattle's most vulnerable areas | KING 51 week ago
  Esther Min, a research consultant with the UW’s Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, says a new map showing vulnerable areas will help officials decide where to put COVID-19 vaccination sites and where to do intentional outreach to vulnerable communities.
• Seattle using COVID-19 mapping tool | Q131 week ago
  Seattle is using an online tool created by the UW that compares a community's COVID-19 positivity rate with potential vulnerability factors, like poverty level, household size and vehicle access.
• Variants could reach regions from reopening | KOMO 41 week ago
  Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, says that previous infections don't protect people from the South African variant of COVID-19 and that vaccines are less effective.
• Vaccine misinformation | MyNorthwest1 week ago
  Kolina Koltai, a postdoctoral researcher at the UW Center for an Informed Public, talks about how the critiques of the COVID-19 vaccine are similar to anti-vaccinations theories that have been circulating for years.
• Snohomish School District part of effort to track COVID-19 in schools | KIRO 71 week ago
  The UW has created a testing program to track COVID-19 in Snohomish School District schools. Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, says that kids are not as likely to be symptomatic if they become infected with COVID-19. As a result, taking children's temperatures is not an effective strategy for tracking infections.
• ‘Who knows if I’ll be myself again?’ COVID-19 long-haulers turn to Seattle rehab clinic | KUOW1 week ago
  Finding helpful medical care can be difficult for COVID-19 survivors who still experience long-term effects of the disease. But a rehabilitation clinic for COVID-19 long-haulers at Harborview Medical Center aims to help patients get back "as much life as possible." Dr. Aaron Bunnell, assistant professor of rehabilitation medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• COVID-19 interrupted a generation of theater artists — now they wonder what’s next | The Seattle Times1 week ago
  UW theater student Jarrett Johnson is among an entire class of emerging theater artists — fresh from drama programs, hustling between part-time jobs and busy audition schedules, or about to make their big breaks — whose careers have been stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The UW's Odai Johnson, professor of theater history, and Stefka Mihaylova, assistant professor of theater theory and criticism, are quoted.
• Seattle will use a UW-developed mapping tool to guide equitable vaccine distribution | The Seattle Times1 week ago
  As it strives to improve equitable vaccine distribution, the city of Seattle will use a new mapping tool developed by the UW to help it site future mobile and pop-up clinics and, eventually, mass vaccination sites. Esther Min, a research consultant with the UW’s Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, is quoted.
• 5 COVID-19 symptoms that might never end, says new study | Yahoo! News1 week ago
  In a new study, researchers at the University of Washington tracked 177 people who'd tested positive for coronavirus for three to nine months—the longest follow-up period yet. What they found: 30% of them had symptoms that hadn't gone away.
• COVID-19 vaccine success won’t eliminate virus risk, UK concludes | FOX News1 week ago
  By the middle of this year, all adults in Britain are due to be offered a COVID-19 vaccine. But disease modelers advising the U.K. government recently made a sobering projection: 56,000 more Covid-19 deaths by the summer of next year, even if the country tiptoes out of lockdown and the vaccines work. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Experts worry variant-fueled surge of COVID-19 could be weeks away but cases will likely fall again by summer | CNN1 week ago
  Coronavirus infections across the US are still on the way down, and more Americans are getting vaccinated — but variants could cause complications soon. Trevor Bedford, affiliate associate professor of genome sciences and of epidemiology at the UW, is quoted.
• Snohomish schools partner with UW for COVID-19 testing and tracing | KING 51 week ago
  Volunteers in the Snohomish School District will undergo testing and contact tracing to determine how to best prevent COVID-19 outbreaks. Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• How COVID-19 could usher in a new role for continuous glucose monitoring | Stat News1 week ago
  Normally, hospitals monitor patients’ blood glucose with a blood test, taken several times a day. Due to the pandemic, the Food and Drug Administration made a call to temporarily allow hospitals to monitor blood sugar using continuous glucose monitors, an implant with a transmitter that sends real-time glucose measurements to a dedicated receiver. Early data suggests this has improved care and outcomes for hospitalized patients. Dr. Irl Hirsch, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• UW doctor on how we can ensure return to normal 'sooner rather than later' | MyNorthwest1 week ago
  Dr. Vin Gupta, affiliate assistant professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, believes that if we can keep cases down in the interim, prospects look good for the latter half of 2021.

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