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. 

• Masks seem to be working to fight the virus, even as some refuse them and US deaths near 100,000 | CNN10 hours ago
  Americans are at odds over whether it's necessary to keep taking coronavirus protective measures, but a leading researcher says the data is clear: The path ahead in the COVID-19 pandemic is being shaped by masks. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Anne Browning: Tips for riding the COVID-19 roller coaster | Spokane Public Radio10 hours ago
  We’re all riding the COVID-19 roller coaster, but some of us are weathering the ups and downs better than others. Anne Browning, founding director of the UW Resilience Lab, is interviewed.
• State considers contact-tracing app to combat COVID-19 | Q13 FOX News10 hours ago
  Washington state is considering the use of a smartphone app that can notify the close contacts of someone who later tests positive for COVID-19. Sham Kakade, professor of computer science and engineering at the UW, is quoted.
• Boeing and Airbus study how coronavirus behaves during air travel | The Wall Street Journal10 hours ago
  Boeing and Airbus are researching the new coronavirus’ behavior inside jetliners, part of an industry push to curb risks that have brought air traffic to a near standstill. Scott Meschke, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences, is quoted.
• Seattle COVID-19 vaccine volunteer given high dose, discusses side effects | KIRO 710 hours ago
  Ian Haydon works at the University of Washington in the Institute for Protein Design. The healthy 29-year-old signed up for the COVID-19 vaccine trial because he said this is one way he knew he could help out.
• Brazil travel ban: Trump bans travelers from the coronavirus hotspot | Vox20 hours ago
  In an effort to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, President Donald Trump will soon ban travelers coming from the latest hotspot: Brazil. Nicole Errett, a lecturer of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
• Factbox: Key upcoming clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine, touted by Trump, for COVID-19 | Reuters1 day ago
  The World Health Organization has suspended testing the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients due to potential safety risks but other studies testing the medicine are continuing. A UW study is mentioned.
• Digital Trends Live: E-racing scandal, SpaceX launch | Digital Trends1 day ago
  On this episode of Digital Trends Live, host Greg Nibler speaks with Rovy Branon, vice provost of the UW Continuum College, about the explosion of demand for online learning and what schools are doing to keep up.
• Ecstatic and terrified, Americans are rushing out of their homes | Bloomberg1 day ago
  Almost 94,000 Americans have already died from Covid-19 and another 50,000 might by August — if states don’t deviate from their announced plans to ease social distancing, according to the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
• US coronavirus death toll surpasses 95,000 | CNN1 day ago
  Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, talks to Wolf Blitzer about when the death count will hit 100,000 and the death toll in the summer.
• A third of all coronavirus deaths are in nursing homes | MSNBC1 day ago
  Dr. Alison Roxby, assistant professor of global health and of medicine at the UW, talks about her team's study showing that universal testing is a better strategy than symptom screening at long-term care facilities.
• Coronavirus deaths across the US number more than 97,000 | MSNBC1 day ago
  Dr. Vin Gupta, affiliate assistant professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, comments on a new study about hydroxycloriquine and other news about the pandemic.
• Medical workers offered PTSD counseling to cope with battling COVID-19 | KOMO 41 day ago
  Before it becomes a bigger issue, the hospital is encouraging all it's workers to take a step back and use mental health resources now available. Dr. Patricia Kritek, professor of medicine at the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• Less traffic means 40% cleaner skies in western Washington — but will it last? | KOMO 41 day ago
  Experts say our good air quality this spring is partially due to people driving less. However, they warn that unless big, long-term changes are made, these cleaner skies are not here to stay. Joel Kaufman, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is interviewed.
• WHO says the Americas are new COVID-19 epicenter as deaths surge in Latin America | Reuters1 day ago
  The Americas have emerged as the new epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization said in a Tuesday briefing, as a U.S. study forecast deaths surging in Brazil and other Latin American countries through August. The UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is referenced.
• Brazil coronavirus deaths could surpass 125,000 by August, US study says | Reuters1 day ago
  As Brazil's daily COVID-19 death rate climbs to the highest in the world, a UW study is warning its total death toll could climb five-fold to 125,000 by early August, adding to fears it has become a new hot spot in the pandemic. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Grocery workers fear confrontations over mask rules | TIME1 day ago
  Many shoppers are currently required by state, city or local regulations to wear masks or other facial coverings. But it’s largely been left to grocery store employees and other workers to enforce those rules, despite having little or no training on how to do so. Marissa Baker, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
• Are those ‘COVID toes,’ or should you be wearing slippers? | KUOW1 day ago
  The syndrome is being called “COVID toe,” but how (or even whether) COVID-19 actually causes it is a mystery, one that researchers in the Seattle area are trying to solve. Dr. Andrea Kalus, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted, and Dr. Keith Elkon, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is mentioned.
• Boeing and Airbus study how coronavirus behaves during air travel | FOX1 day ago
  Boeing Co. and Airbus SE are researching the new coronavirus’s behavior inside jetliners, part of an industry push to curb risks that have brought air traffic to a near standstill. Scott Meschke, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
• Opinion: Pandemic lays bare the everyday stressors, inequities of marginalized communities | The Seattle Times1 day ago
  On March 14, two weeks after the first U.S. coronavirus death was announced here in King County and as an onslaught of social distancing policies descended on our communities, we began a research study to understand how 500 King County residents were coping with all of it ... Because of our work on health-care inequities and racism, we were concerned about the impacts on communities of color. As it turned out, there was much reason for concern," write Jonathan Kanter, research associate professor of psychology at the UW; Edwin Lindo, lecturer in the Department of Family Medicine in the UW School of Medicine; and Adam Kuczynski, a graduate student in psychology at the UW.
• What the coronavirus pandemic means for our mental health | Teen Vogue1 day ago
  The COVID-19 pandemic can have a harsh mental health toll as a result of social distancing and isolation — not to mention the impact it can have for frontline workers. Adam Kuczynski, a graduate student in psychology at the UW, is quoted, and Jonathan Kanter, research associate professor of psychology at the UW, is mentioned.
• The complications of counting COVID deaths in Washington | Seattle Weekly1 day ago
  State relies on results of tests and death certificates in calculating the daily toll of the disease. Jonathan D. Mayer, professor emeritus of epidemiology and of geography at the UW, is quoted.
• UW study shows staggering numbers of US COVID-19 infection, fatality rates | KING 51 day ago
  A recent UW study shows the novel coronavirus is deadlier and more contagious than the flu. Anirban Basu, professor of health economics at the UW, is quoted.
• 'It’s infuriating': Women disproportionately impacted by April job losses | KING 51 day ago
  Women accounted for 55% of coronavirus-related April job losses. Two women laid off in Seattle detail how the leisure and hospitality sector was especially hard hit. Diana Pearce, senior lecturer of social work at the UW, is quoted.
• ‘Where are the patients?’ People are avoiding doctors, hospitals because of coronavirus worries | The Seattle Times1 day ago
  Beginning in March, public officials told Washingtonians to avoid going to the hospital, if possible, fearing a surge of COVID-19 patients would overwhelm the system. But in recent weeks, a chorus of doctors, hospital executives and public officials have beseeched Washingtonians to return. Dr. Jared Baeten, professor of global health at the UW, is quoted.
• More young people are testing positive for coronavirus in US, study finds | South China Morning Post1 day ago
  Young adults and children appear to be increasingly contracting the new coronavirus in the United States, according to a new study. Judith Malmgren, an affiliate assistant professor of epidemiology at the UW, is quoted.
• How will our bodies change from being inside for months? | Gizmodo1 day ago
  Anne McTiernan, research professor of epidemiology at the UW, shares her thoughts on how staying at home during the pandemic will affect our bodies.
• Opinion: Siloization of climate and public health — the case of COVID-19 | Global Policy Journal1 day ago
  "Since World War II, countries have established international regimes to regulate the cross-border flows of goods, capital, people and pollutants. While this governance approach targeting specific problems has merit, it causes a “silo” problem ... The coronavirus pandemic reveals the problems of “siloization” of climate change and public health in global governance," write Eduardo Gallo-Cajiao, of the University of Queensland; Nives Dolšak, professor of marine and environmental affairs at the UW; and Aseem Prakash, professor of political science at the UW.
• Contact tracing for COVID-19 will be the most complex health investigation ever | National Geographic1 day ago
  Contact tracing aims to identify those the virus might strike next. But in the U.S., the idiosyncracies and scale of this pandemic — and the intense polarization of this peculiar moment in American history — promise to make contact tracing the most complex and difficult health investigration in history. Janet Baseman, professor of epidemiology at the UW, and Benjamin Brunjes, assistant professor of public policy and governance at the UW, are quoted.
• 35% of coronavirus patients show no symptoms, according to CDC’s ‘best estimate’ | New York Daily News1 day ago
  About a third of people infected with coronavirus in the U.S. are asymptomatic, according to newly released guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.
• During the coronavirus shutdown, people are hearing more birdsongs | The Washington Post1 day ago
  In a strange new world where the volume was suddenly turned down — empty sidewalks, less traffic and fewer early-morning leaf blowers — people stuck in their homes are tuning their ears to a sweet natural sound they’ve long taken for granted: bird songs. Olivia Sanderfoot, a research fellow in environmental and forest sciences at the UW, is quoted.
• As kids melt down, Seattle parents reconsider social distancing | KUOW1 day ago
  And now, eight weeks into Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, requiring Washingtonians to stay apart, parents are reporting the negative effects quarantine is having on their children, and the creative ways they are mitigating their children’s suffering from social isolation. James Mazza, professor of education at the UW, is quoted.
• Coronavirus maps and charts show COVID-19 symptoms, spread, death rate | Business Insider1 day ago
  As the world's coronavirus case total and death toll continue to climb, a growing collection of data and research is providing insights into the pandemic. A UW study by Anirban Basu, professor of health economics at the UW, is mentioned.
• 35% of people infected with COVID-19 show no symptoms, according to US ‘best estimate’ | South China Morning Post1 day ago
  About a third of people infected with coronavirus in the US are asymptomatic, according to newly released guidance from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.
• Neighborhood listservs see a shift in mission during the coronavirus pandemic | The Washington Post2 days ago
  When the world was not beset by a pandemic, the neighborhood listserv offered a platform for reporting suspicious activity, finding a contractor or tracking down free potting soil. During the coronavirus outbreak, some listservs have expanded their appeal, filling a void left by a lack of in-person communication and a spike in those falling on difficult times. Amy Zhang, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at the UW, is quoted.
• Trump's Europe travel ban caused chaos, surge of infected passengers | The Washington Post2 days ago
  Banning travel from Europe this March was intended to block the pathogen’s entry into the United States but instead delivered one final viral infusion. As those exposed travelers fanned out into U.S. cities and suburbs, they became part of an influx from Europe that went unchecked for weeks and helped to seal the country’s coronavirus fate. A study by Trevor Bedford, affiliate associate professor of genome sciences and of epidemiology at the UW, is referenced.
• Contact tracing is ramping up, and so are training tools | GeekWire2 days ago
  The Washington State Department of Health is in the early stages of a massive effort to interview COVID-19 patients and track down those who might have been infected by those patients. Janet Baseman, professor of epidemiology at the UW, is quoted.
• IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray on preventing new coronavirus wave in America | FOX News2 days ago
  Some countries are seeing an uptick in coronavirus cases amid easing restrictions. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, shares insights with Neil Cavuto.
• Public health experts advice on expanding quarantine circles | Buzzfeed2 days ago
  In any non-pandemic year, we'd welcome summer with open arms. But with more than 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. and nearly 100,000 deaths to date, the change in season has brought about uncertainty and frustration as stay-at-home orders are extended. Scott Meschke, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, and Janet Baseman, professor of epidemiology at the UW, are quoted.
• Coronavirus death rates are above 10% in 8 countries | Business Insider2 days ago
  The coronavirus' death rate — a calculation of deaths out of total confirmed cases — varies by place and population. Eight countries currently have death rates higher than 10%, while others are lower than 1%. Anirban Basu, professor of health economics at the UW, is quoted.
• Editorial: If not for yourself, wear face masks for others | Everett Herald2 days ago
  "As the Memorial Day weekend continues — with a good chance according to weather forecasts that at least it won't rain — many of us will beheaded out for long-awaited excursions outdoors ... So, pack the sunscreen. And, yes, a face mask," writes The Herald Editorial Board. Dr. Jared Baeten, professor of global health at the UW, is quoted.
• Coronavirus antigen tests: quick and cheap, but too often wrong? | Science2 days ago
  Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, and others have touted antigen tests, which detect the presence of viral proteins in a biological sample, such as saliva or tissue swabbed from the nasal cavity. Dr. Geoffrey Baird, associate professor of laboratory medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• In online COVID-19 videos, a mix of science and conjecture | Undark2 days ago
  A series of online COVID-19 documentaries and video interviews sow confusion by mixing fringe voices with real science. Leah Ceccarelli, a professor of communication at the UW, is quoted.
• Remdesivir coronavirus trial: Federal scientists finally publish data | The New York Times2 days ago
  A clinical trial led to the authorization of the only drug shown to work in COVID-19 patients. But until now, few experts had seen the numbers. Dr. Helen Chu, assistant professor of medicine at the UW School of Medicine, is referenced.
• Fear of COVID leads other patients to decline critical treatment | The New York Times2 days ago
  Psychologists say anxiety and uncertainty prompt irrational decisions — like turning down a transplant when an organ becomes available. Dr. Scott Biggins, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Could the coronavirus reset society? Questions we should be asking about post-pandemic life | The Seattle Times2 days ago
  Life has changed — the twin pressures of the coronavirus pandemic and economy-snarling lockdown have stretched the borders of what we thought was possible. Aaron Katz, principal lecturer in health services at the UW, is quoted.
• Coronavirus antigen tests: quick and cheap, but too often wrong? | Science5 days ago
  Nearly all the current tests to diagnose infections work by identifying the genetic material of the virus, a technology that will be difficult to scale up much further. Others have touted another option: antigen tests, which detect the presence of viral proteins in a biological sample, such as saliva or tissue swabbed from the nasal cavity. Dr. Geoffrey Baird, associate professor of laboratory medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Scientists say new, lower CDC estimates for severity of COVID-19 are optimistic | NPR5 days ago
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week revised downward its estimates for future infections and deaths from the new coronavirus, painting a picture of the pandemic that some scientists say is overly optimistic — and that plays into fears that the agency could be responding to political pressure. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.
• Somehow this wild hoax Bill Gates anti-vaxx video doesn't violate YouTube's policies | VICE6 days ago
  A video about Bill Gates is obviously faked, but it's still setting the anti-vaxx internet on fire. Andrew Beers, a doctoral student with the UW Center for an Informed Public, is quoted.
• How do Alaska leaders know it’s safe to reopen the economy? It’s all about data — but it’s complicated | Alaska Public Media6 days ago
  As Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz move to reopen the state and city economy, both say that their actions will be guided by data. Janet Baseman, professor of epidemiology at the UW, is quoted.
• Opinion: Why do we only care about long-term care in a crisis? | The Hill6 days ago
  "Why are we willing to turn our lives upside down, resulting in a need for trillions to support the shutdown of the economy, during this moment of crisis — but we are unwilling to dedicate even a small fraction of that amount to improve the quality of life and prevent deaths among vulnerable populations at other times?" write Richard G. Frank and David C. Grabowski of Harvard Medical School, Jonathan Gruber of MIT and Bianca K. Frogner, associate professor of family medicine in the UW School of Medicine.
• Coronavirus unites families of inmates and corrections officers as it batters prisons | The Washington Post6 days ago
  The indiscriminate nature of the virus means corrections officers, who often endure low pay and difficult working conditions, are vulnerable alongside the inmates they guard. Inmates can’t exit. More than 2,600 have been infected in state prisons, including those that are privately managed. Dr. Marc Stern, affiliate assistant professor of health services at the UW, is quoted.
• Study says mobility in Seattle increasing as Memorial Day weekend approaches | KOMO6 days ago
  Across greater Seattle more people are venturing away from home.
  Travel hit its low point in March when mobility was reduced more than 50% according to Intix. That number slowly increased since. But on Mother's Day mobility was reduced by only 16%. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Americans venture out for holiday travel in test of containment | Bloomberg6 days ago
  Americans are fleeing weeks of home isolation for beaches, parks and other leisure destinations over the Memorial Day weekend -- and that has pandemic experts and businesses concerned about a spike in coronavirus cases. Hilary Godwin, dean of the UW School of Public Health, is quoted.
• CDC says 35% of coronavirus infections are asymptomatic | CNN6 days ago
  In new guidance for mathematical modelers and public health officials, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is estimating that about a third of coronavirus infections are asymptomatic. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.
• Seattle researchers building ‘biobank’ of patients’ blood to unlock the mysteries of the new coronavirus | The Seattle Times6 days ago
  Blood and other biological specimens from COVID-19 patients treated in Seattle area hospitals are helping scientists build a massive “biobank” to examine the virus’s long-term impacts on the human body and why it affects some people more severely than others. Dr. Mark Wurfel, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• As Memorial Day tempts people outdoors, virus rebound feared | Associated Press6 days ago
  As lockdowns ease across the United States, millions of Americans are set to take tentative steps outdoors to celebrate Memorial Day. But public health officials are still concerned that if people congregate in crowds or engage in other risky behavior, the long weekend could cause the coronavirus to come roaring back. Dr. Seth Cohen, medical director of infection prevention and employee health at UW Medical Center Northwest, is quoted.
• Discussing serious illnesses more challenging during COVID-19 pandemic | Reuters6 days ago
  Talking about a serious illness such as cancer over the phone or by video during the coronavirus pandemic can be tough, but it’s doable, according to two geriatrics and palliative-care experts. Dr. Anthony Back, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Aggressive testing, quarantining can prevent COVID-19 outbreaks in senior facilities, study finds | UPI6 days ago
  Proactive testing and strict quarantining procedures at assisted-living facilities can help prevent outbreaks of COVID-19 among residents and the staff, a study published Thursday by JAMA Internal Medicine found. Dr. Alison Roxby, assistant professor of global health and of medicine at the UW, is quoted.
• Educators innovate to reach marginalized students | NW Asian Weekly6 days ago
  Standing in front of a large easel pad, a teacher shows a drawing of a student with a birthday cake. The scene is from one of hundreds of videos created by the Seattle Public Schools in response to the closure of schools during the novel coronavirus pandemic. It reflects both the ingenuity and desperation of teachers, educators, and administrators as they try to reach the most marginalized students during a crisis unprecedented in modern times. Mia Tuan, dean of the UW College of Education, is quoted.
• GOP gubernatorial hopefuls aim to oust Inslee amid COVID-19 | Seattle Weekly6 days ago
  Washington’s GOP gubernatorial candidates are hoping to make this November’s election a referendum on Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 response. But it’s yet to be seen if they can convince voters in a historically blue state to cross the aisle. Mark Smith, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.
• Countries around the world are rolling out contact tracing apps to contain coronavirus — how will we know whether they work? | Science6 days ago
  Many think digital contact tracing will identify people potentially exposed to the coronavirus who should self-isolate —and that they’ll voluntarily do so. But so far, we only have epidemiological models to suggest such apps can help control an epidemic. Skeptics worry the apps will amount to a high-tech distraction. And even some advocates say they’re only as strong as a health system’s ability to follow up with notified users, test them and offer support during quarantine. Allison Black, a graduate student in epidemiology at the UW, is quoted.
• Small business changed forever | KING 57 days ago
  Jeff Shulman, professor of business at the UW, describes how small-business owners need to embrace changes so that they can survive now and thrive later.
• UW research vessel returns | KIRO 77 days ago
  The R/V Thomas G. Thompson returned home after a two-year journey was cut short by the coronavirus.
• COVID can complicate pregnancy, especially if mom is obese | Health Day7 days ago
  Some pregnant women with COVID-19 do become severely ill, and the risk may be elevated for those who were obese or had conditions like asthma before pregnancy, a new study suggests. Dr. Kristina Adams Waldorf, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Some companies want employees to swear they have not had COVID-19 symptoms | Slate.7 days ago
  Some companies want employees to swear they have not had COVID-19 symptoms. But what good do these policies do? The UW self-attestation form is mentioned. Dr. Geoffrey Gottlieb, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Analysis: You don't need to worry about spreading the coronavirus with cash | The Conversation7 days ago
  "Some people worry that cash may be spreading the coronavirus. Earlier this year, both China and South Korea began sterilizing their bills using UV light or high heat before putting them back into use ... I believe that we don’t need to worry about money as much as some might believe," writes Marilyn Roberts, professor of environmental and occupational health at the UW.
• These labs rushed to test for coronavirus — they had few takers | The New York Times7 days ago
  The fragmented U.S. health care system has hampered efforts to expand coronavirus testing, by making it difficult for hospitals to switch to new labs with ample capacity. Dr. Geoffrey Baird, associate professor of laboratory medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Drug overdose deaths drop in U.S. as other deaths of despair rise, report finds | NBC News7 days ago
  Once thought of as mainly affecting middle-age white Americans, deaths from alcohol, drugs and suicide are increasing in many communities of color. Caleb Banta-Green, a research scientist at the UW Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, is referenced.
• Cantwell pushing for federal airline distancing guidelines | KIRO 77 days ago
  When it comes to social distancing on the plane itself, how will airline companies fare? As airlines pack in passengers on the few planes they’re flying, that leaves little chance for safe distancing onboard. That concern has caught the attention of Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash). Hilary Godwin, dean of the UW School of Public Health, is quoted.

More