UW researchers respond to novel coronavirus (COVID-19)

COVID-19 experts for reporters

Below 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. 

• Doctors from UW Medicine encouraging boosters for pregnancy | KEPR5 days ago
  Doctors at UW Medicine are making a case for COVID-19 boosters during pregnancy. Doctors and health leaders encourage women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant to consider increasing their protection from COVID-19 with a Bivalent booster shot. Dr. Michael Gravett, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Do rapid tests still work? | The New York Times1 week ago
  Experts say that rapid home tests are still a helpful tool for stopping the spread of COVID-19, but they’re not foolproof. Here are a few explanations for why you might get a false negative result — and how to increase your chances of accuracy next time. Dr. Paul Drain, associate professor of global health and of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• COVID vaccines and boosters provide protection during pregnancy | KXLY Spokane2 weeks ago
  A new worldwide study shows COVID vaccines and boosters significantly protect women from complications of the virus while they're pregnant. According to doctors with the UW School of Medicine, COVID vaccines and boosters prevent severe problems in 76% of pregnancies. Dr. Michael Gravett, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• Research shows COVID vaccines protect pregnant women | Northwest News Radio2 weeks ago
  Doctors at the UW School of Medicine say that recent research shows COVID vaccines and boosters have provided significant protections for pregnant women against severe complications and death from COVID. Dr. Michael Gravett, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• COVID vaccines provide protection during pregnancy, study says | KUOW2 weeks ago
  A new study out of UW Medicine states that COVID vaccines provided great protection during pregnancy, even amid omicron spikes. The study states that COVID vaccines, plus the first booster shot, provided protection against death and severe complications during pregnancy, with 76% efficacy. Dr. Michael Gravett, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Child hospitalizations rise again, but NJ shows 'tripledemic' progress | Patch2 weeks ago
  Pediatric hospital beds around the state continued filling up this week, but New Jersey may have passed the peak of the "tripledemic." COVID-19 levels and influenza activity both declined, offering hope as the state continues to weather the winter surge of respiratory diseases. A projection from the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is referenced.
• Washington marks three years of COVID | Axios Seattle2 weeks ago
  It's been three years since the first known case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was reported in Washington. State health officials and local scientists say that while we're in a far better place than we were, COVID isn't going away. Pavitra Roychoudhury, acting instructor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• How are rapid COVID tests holding up as the pandemic enters its fourth year | NPR2 weeks ago
  As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its fourth year, a negative result on a little plastic at-home test feels a bit less comforting than it once did. Still, you dutifully swab your nostrils before dinner parties, wait 15 minutes for the all-clear and then text the host "negative!" before leaving your KN95 mask at home. It feels like the right thing to do, right? The virus has mutated and then mutated again, with the tests offering at least some sense of control as the Greek letters pile up. But some experts caution against putting too much faith in a negative result. Dr. Geoffrey Baird, professor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• We made it through the holidays; What do WA flu and COVID trends look like now? | The Seattle Times2 weeks ago
  Flu trends in King County appear to have peaked for now, but epidemiologists say our already unusual viral season means the next few months could still be unpredictable. The region’s respiratory infection season hit harder and earlier than usual this fall, but recent county data provides some evidence that flu is subsiding in King County — or at least round one of it. During the first week of January, epidemiologists counted about 183 flu-positive tests, compared to more than 2,000 in late November. Dr. Alex Greninger, assistant professor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Opinion: China endangers the world by lying about its COVID death toll | The Washington Post3 weeks ago
  Dishonesty about the true breadth of the pandemic in China constitutes a threat to public health worldwide. Scientists need to know whether transmission patterns have changed, new variants have emerged or the incidence of long COVID has increased. Epidemiologists must be able to assess whether the world should prepare for a new global outbreak. And the people of China deserve to know the true scale of the calamity descending on their country. A projection from the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is referenced.
• China’s true COVID death toll estimated to be in hundreds of thousands | Time3 weeks ago
  The nearly 60,000 COVID-related deaths China reported for the first five weeks of its current outbreak, the largest the world has ever seen, may underestimate the true toll by hundreds of thousands of fatalities, experts said. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Child hospitalizations rise in NJ; Masks recommended nearly everywhere | Patch3 weeks ago
  Almost all of New Jersey should continue masking up as the state continues to weather winter surges of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. The "tripledemic" — the simultaneous threat of COVID, flu and respiratory syncytial virus — continues to strain emergency rooms and pediatric departments around the nation. A projection from the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is referenced.
• UW scientists monitor latest COVID subvariant | KUOW3 weeks ago
  XBB 1.5, also known as the Kraken variant, is the dominant strain in the northeast U.S. right now. It went from being under 10% of cases to nearly 70% in just over a month. Pavitra Roychoudhury, acting instructor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• Why rapid COVID-19 test results are getting more confusing | Time3 weeks ago
  Experts say ambiguous results on at-home tests may be more common now — but not because rapid tests aren’t working. In fact, these confusing results could actually be a good thing, at least as far as your immune system goes. Dr. Paul Drain, associate professor of global health and of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• What you need to know about the kraken COVID variant | WIRED3 weeks ago
  Since omicron became the world’s dominant COVID variant, it’s taken on a lot of shapes. First there was BA.1, then BA.5, and eventually others, including BQ.1 and BQ.1.1. Now all eyes are on another scrambled string of letters and numbers—XBB.1.5, also known as the kraken, which has swept the northeastern U.S. in recent weeks. Pavitra Roychoudhury, acting instructor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• In the next pandemic, let’s pay people to get vaccinated | WIRED3 weeks ago
  Data from Sweden and the U.S. suggests cash incentives increase uptake without denting people’s trust in vaccines or future willingness to get them. Nancy Jecker, professor of bioethics and humanities in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Studying COVID's health lessons | KING 54 weeks ago
  Dr. Stephen Bezruchka, associate teaching professor of global health and of health services at the UW, and author of a new book called Inequality Kills Us All, is interviewed by reporter Amity Addrisi for "New Day Northwest."
• Why COVID's XBB.1.5 'kraken' variant is so contagious | Scientific American4 weeks ago
  A new, rapidly spreading variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, means a rise in new infections could be around the corner. And while it likely won’t skirt immunity completely, the variant could dodge some of our defenses thanks to a mutational boost. Marlin Figgins, a doctoral student of applied mathematics at the UW, is quoted.
• A new COVID variant is taking over | FOX News4 weeks ago
  According to UW Medicine, the new strain is called XBB.1.5 and it has made its way to the PNW. Dr. Alex Greninger, assistant professor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• UW Virologists warn of new dominant strain of COVID-19 | KEPR4 weeks ago
  Doctors from UW Medicine are tracking the newest variant of COVID-19 this week. The variant is being designated as XBB.1.5. State Health Leaders tell us the variant has quickly become one of the most common causes of COVID infection in the Northeastern United States. Dr. Alex Greninger, assistant professor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• New COVID-19 variant makes way into Pacific Northwest | KOMO4 weeks ago
  A new COVID-19 variant has quickly become one of the most common causes of coronavirus infections in the United States. The variant, designated XBB.1.5 — an offshoot of the omicron subvariant — first made its way through the Northeast and has now entered the Pacific Northwest. UW Medicine is referenced.
• Experts at UW Medicine track new COVID subvariant in PNW | KNDO4 weeks ago
  Experts with UW Medicine are tracking the new COVID-19 variant’s presence in the Pacific Northwest after the CDC warned about the presence of the omicron subvariant XBB.1.5. A press release from UW Medicine states the subvariant is expected to become the most dominant strain in the area.  Dr. Alex Greninger, assistant professor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• All of NJ should mask up as 'tripledemic' spurs hospitalizations | Patch4 weeks ago
  It's time to mask up again in all of New Jersey, according to the latest guidance from federal health officials. The CDC's recommendation comes as the Garden State continues to weather the "tripledemic" — the simultaneous threat of COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) that has filled emergency rooms and pediatric departments around the nation. A projection from the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is referenced.
• How XBB.1.5, the new COVID-19 variant, is shaping the pandemic | Vox4 weeks ago
  XBB.1.5, the latest rising version of the virus that causes COVID-19, is following an all-too-familiar pattern: It’s yet another branch off the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, and it’s even more transmissible than past versions, gaining traction as people huddle indoors for the winter. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Kraken COVID symptoms: What to know about XBB.1.5 strain sweeping through US | Fortune4 weeks ago
  COVID hospitalizations in the U.S. have spiked 16.1% in the past week as a new “escaped” variant of the virus has continued to sweep across the country. XBB.1.5 — dubbed "Kraken" by Canadian biology professor Ryan Gregory and his following in the Twitterverse — is the most transmissible COVID variant yet, according to the World Health Organization. Pavitra Roychoudhury, acting instructor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is referenced.
• Analysis: Long COVID stemmed from mild cases of COVID-19 in most people, according to a new multicountry study | The Conversation4 weeks ago
  "Even mild COVID-19 cases can have major and long-lasting effects on people’s health. That is one of the key findings from our recent multicountry study on long COVID-19 – or long COVID – recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association," write Sarah Hanson, research scientist at UW's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, and Dr. Theo Vos, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
• How worried should we be about XBB.1.5? | The Atlantic4 weeks ago
  After months and months of SARS-CoV-2 subvariant soup, one ingredient has emerged in the United States with a flavor pungent enough to overwhelm the rest: XBB.1.5, an Omicron offshoot that now accounts for an estimated 75 percent of cases in the Northeast. A crafty dodger of antibodies that is able to grip extra tightly onto the surface of our cells, XBB.1.5 is now officially the country’s fastest-spreading coronavirus subvariant. In the last week of December alone, it zoomed from 20 percent of estimated infections nationwide to 40 percent; soon, it’s expected to be all that’s left, or at least very close. Pavitra Roychoudhury, acting instructor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Local health officials tracking new COVID omicron variant believed to be more contagious | KIRO 74 weeks ago
  A new year has brought concerns about a new COVID-19 variant. The XBB.1.5 variant is an offshoot of the omicron variant and is believed to be five times as contagious. The XBB.1.5 variant now makes up more than 40% of coronavirus cases in the US, according to the CDC. In parts of the northeast, like New York, it’s believed to make up more than 70% of the cases. Pavitra Roychoudhury, acting instructor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5: The dominant COVID strain in the U.S. surges in major metro areas with slightly different symptoms | Forbes4 weeks ago
  XBB.1.5 is a highly transmissible subvariant of omicron and is now the dominant Covid variant in the U.S. after just a matter of months. The XBB subvariant has been found in around 70 countries and caused Covid case surges in places like Singapore and India in October 2022, according to the World Health Organization. Pavitra Roychoudhury, acting instructor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• The new COVID variant XBB.1.5 and why it's spreading so quickly | CNN1 month ago
  For weeks, scientists have been watching a slew of Omicron descendants duke it out for dominance of Covid-19 transmission in the United States, with the BQs – BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 – seeming to edge out all the others to claim a slight lead. The result has been a gradual rise in cases and hospitalizations that never seemed to reach the peaks of this summer’s BA.5 wave and was certainly nothing like the tsunami of illness caused by the original Omicron strain a year ago. Pavitra Roychoudhury, acting instructor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• How deadly will China’s COVID surge get? Answers to that and more | The Washington Post1 month ago
  When China ended the drastic lockdowns and restrictions that were in place for the past three years, it triggered a surge of cases and deaths in a population with little natural immunity and low levels of vaccine boosting. With data about the scale of this COVID surge sparse and unreliable, scientists observing China’s crisis must piece together scraps of evidence to forecast the trajectory of this outbreak and what it might mean for the spread and evolution of the virus. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Masks return to 3 NJ school districts as 'tripledemic' takes toll | Patch1 month ago
  New Jersey has reached the post-holiday phase of the respiratory-illness season. Three New Jersey school districts, including two of the state's largest, brought back mask mandates to combat the rise of COVID-19, influenza and other infectious diseases. A projection from the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is referenced.
• Possible new COVID wave arises from China | Northwest News Radio1 month ago
  Just as China eliminates much of its zero-COVID policy, nations around the world are debating how to stem the spread of a possible new COVID 19 wave from China. The U.S. will require health screenings for travelers from China beginning Jan. 5. All travelers, regardless of nationality, will be required to have a negative test or provide proof of recovery when coming from China. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is referenced.
• Risk of a dangerous new COVID variant in China is 'quite low,' U.S. health expert says | CNBC1 month ago
  U.S. health officials warned this week about the chance of a new Covid variant emerging in China’s nationwide outbreak — and how Beijing’s lack of transparency could delay detection of public health risks. The variant was first detected in South Africa more than a year ago. Omicron is far more transmissible, but causes less severe disease, than when Covid first emerged in Wuhan, China in late 2019. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• How bad is China’s COVID outbreak? It’s a scientific guessing game | The New York Times1 month ago
  As Covid barrels through China, scientists around the world are searching for clues about an outbreak with sprawling consequences — for the health of hundreds of millions of Chinese people, the global economy and the future of the pandemic. But in the absence of credible information from the Chinese government, it is a big scientific guessing game to determine the size and severity of the surge in the world’s most populous country. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• US to impose new COVID testing requirements for travelers from China | The Washington Post1 month ago
  U.S. health officials announced new testing requirements for travelers from China. It's a decision based in part on concerns about the lack of data coming out of that nation, which is lifting stringent zero-COVID policies even as it reduces testing and reporting, making it harder for officials to identify new variants. The requirement for all travelers ages 2 and older to show a negative test result is scheduled to go into effect Jan. 5. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Discussing what the end of 'zero-COVID' in China means with Bill Bishop | MSNBC1 month ago
  The pandemic hasn’t raged within China the way it has in the rest of the world over the past few years. However, that’s beginning to change. Following a wave of protests, Chinese leadership officially rolled back some of the country’s most stringent COVID restrictions. The end of “zero-COVID” policies, combined with an already strained medical system, along with low vaccination and immunity levels, could lead to disastrous public health and economic consequences. A projection from the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is referenced.
• Clash of seasonal viruses | Northwest News Radio1 month ago
  A lot of fans will join the dawgs on their trip to San Antonio to take on the longhorns and that means a lot of time in crowds. So, Dr. Paul Pottinger, professor of medicine at the UW School of Medicine, advices people to get their flu and COVID shots, mask up and have a great time.
• COVID death data hides true toll on Black, Hispanic, Indigenous people | USA Today1 month ago
  It’s not always easy to identify a COVID-19 death. If someone dies at home, if they have symptoms not typically associated with the disease or if they die when local health systems are overwhelmed, their death certificate might say “heart disease” or “natural causes” when COVID-19 is, in fact, at fault. New research shows such inaccuracies also are more likely for Americans who are Black, Hispanic, Asian or Native. Laura Dwyer-Lindgren, assistant professor of health metrics sciences in the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluations, is quoted.
• Second NJ baby dies from flu as state weathers COVID, 'tripledemic' | Patch1 month ago
  A second baby in New Jersey died from influenza, marking the state's first pediatric flu deaths in nearly three years. Meanwhile, federal health officials recommended mask-wearing in almost all of New Jersey. A projection from the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is referenced.
• Rural China anticipates a big COVID surge | KNKX1 month ago
  Millions of people have likely already gotten sick from COVID-19 in Chinese cities, but the country is now bracing for an even bigger surge in its rural areas where health care access has lagged behind. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is interviewed.
• Is this long COVID or am I just getting older? | Fortune1 month ago
  You’re middle-aged with new symptoms after your COVID infection—fatigue, brain fog, joint pain. Is it long COVID? Or are you just getting older? If you’ve found yourself wondering, you’re not alone. Given that the world has seen just shy of 650 million officially recorded COVID cases—and that about 10% of the world’s population is age 65 or older—aging and long COVID are bound to intersect in a big way. A projection from the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is referenced.
• China stops publishing daily COVID data amid reports of a huge spike in cases | NPR1 month ago
  China has stopped publishing daily COVID-19 data, adding to concerns that the country's leadership may be concealing negative information about the pandemic following the easing of restrictions. China is experiencing a surge in new cases since restrictions were eased. In China's eastern Zhejiang province alone, the provincial government said it was experiencing about 1 million new daily cases. A projection from the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is referenced.
• Opinion: Connect with an older adult to stem the tide of loneliness | The Seattle Times1 month ago
  "Around the world, most older adults live with a circle of relatives. But that’s not usually the case in the United States, where aging baby boomers comprise 24% and nearly three in 10 adults over 60 live alone, a recent Pew Research Study shows. The novel coronavirus also has severely affected older adults; people 65 and over have accounted for 75% of all U.S. deaths attributed to the virus. These changes have happened so fast that many older adults are just now discovering how the past three years have changed their lives. Living alone, far from family or in seemingly well-populated assisted-living homes, older adults might not realize the toll of loneliness and loss until the negative effects are well entrenched," writes Patrick Raue, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences in the UW School of Medicine.
• 'A very hard road ahead' for China as COVID cases spiral | Associated Press1 month ago
  Nearly three years after it was first identified in China, the coronavirus is now spreading through the vast country. Experts predict difficult months ahead for its 1.4 billion people. China’s unyielding “zero-COVID” approach, which aimed to isolate all infected people, bought it years to prepare for the disease. But an abrupt reopening, which was announced without warning on Dec. 7 in the wake of anti-lockdown protests, has caught the nation under-vaccinated and short on hospital capacity. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is referenced.
• Undercounted deaths cloud China’s zero-COVID exit | Wall Street Journal1 month ago
  China has reported just a handful of Covid-19 deaths as a wave of Omicron infections has swept the country’s biggest cities, stoking suspicion among public-health experts and relatives of deceased patients that the government isn’t accurately accounting for the impact of the virus. Despite widespread reports of soaring infections, crowded hospitals and overwhelmed crematoria, Chinese health authorities had by Tuesday reported only seven Covid-related deaths since the country abruptly eased many of its pandemic-control measures more than two weeks ago. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• China reports first COVID deaths in weeks and that number may rise, experts say | ABC News2 months ago
  China is reporting its first deaths linked to COVID-19 in weeks as cases surge amid the country lifting many of its so-called "zero COVID" policies. The deaths, which were reported on Monday by the National Health Commission and occurred in Beijing, are the first recorded since Dec. 4. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• New COVID model predicts over 1 million deaths in China | Reuters2 months ago
  China's abrupt lifting of stringent COVID-19 restrictions could result in an explosion of cases and over a million deaths through 2023, according to new projections from the U.S.-based Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation. According to the group's projections, cases in China would peak around April 1, when deaths would reach 322,000. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• RSV wave hammers hospitals — but vaccines and treatments are coming | Nature2 months ago
  In the past few months, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been sending children under the age of 5 to hospital at alarming rates in the United States and Europe. As paediatric units fill beyond capacity, and physicians contend with a ‘tripledemic’ of RSV, influenza and COVID-19, some have been calling for a state of emergency to be declared. Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Faulty interpretation underpins claim that COVID shots don’t work | Associated Press2 months ago
  The Associated Press fact-checking team investigates the claim that a majority of people dying from COVID-19 are vaccinated, suggesting the vaccines don’t work. AP finds that this statement is missing context. Experts note that this shift was expected in part because more people than not are vaccinated, at least with their primary shots, and there are other factors, such as waning immunity among the vaccinated, also affecting the numbers. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Pandemic's two-year global death toll may be close to 15 million | HealthDay2 months ago
  Almost 15 million people likely died as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, nearly three times more than previously reported, a new World Health Organization study estimates. The researchers said the COVID-19 pandemic caused about 4.5 million more deaths than would have been expected in 2020, and 10.4 million more in 2021. Jonathan Wakefield, professor of statistics and of biostatics at the UW, is quoted.
• CDC says long COVID has contributed to thousands of U.S. deaths | Politico2 months ago
  More than 3,500 Americans have died due, at least in part, to long COVID, according to new data from the CDC. The agency’s findings underscore the potential severity of a condition that continues to impact millions but is still poorly understood and — in some cases — dismissed entirely. The new analysis, published early Wednesday by the CDC’s Center for National Health Statistics, found that 3,544 death certificates between January 2020 and June 2022 listed Covid-19 as a cause of death in addition to citing such terms as “chronic Covid” or “long haul Covid.” Dr. Janna Friedly, professor of medicine and of rehabilitation medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Evidence shows long COVID lingering for more than two years | Northwest News Radio2 months ago
  CDC fellow Aaron Hamlet told the state Senate's Health & Long Term Care Committee there's now evidence long COVID is lingering for more than two years. Dr. Janna Friedly, professor of medicine and of rehabilitation medicine, and Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine, both of the UW School of Medicine, talk about the symptoms of long COVID.
• China's 'zero-COVID' limits saved lives but no clear exit | Associated Press2 months ago
  China’s strategy of controlling the coronavirus with lockdowns, mass testing and quarantines has provoked the greatest show of public dissent against the ruling Communist Party in decades. Most protesters on the mainland and in Hong Kong have focused their anger on restrictions that confine families to their homes for months. Global health experts have criticized China’s methods as unsustainable. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• COVID deaths and hospitalizations are falling in the U.S. | NBC News3 months ago
  As the flu and respiratory syncytial virus have spread rapidly this fall — inundating and overwhelming hospitals and their staff across the country — COVID has not. In fact, COVID-related deaths and hospitalizations have fallen in recent months, despite the emergence of new omicron subvariants that evade immunity from previous infections and vaccination. Dr. Vin Gupta, affiliate assistant professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• New RSV vaccines are on track to make this one of the last bad cold seasons | Vox3 months ago
  All over the country, pediatric hospitals are packed to the gills. Although soaring rates of several cold viruses are to blame, one baddie in particular is responsible for much of the mayhem: respiratory syncytial virus, otherwise known as RSV. Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Bivalent booster protects against omicron mutations ahead of winter | MyNorthwest3 months ago
  The new bivalent booster specifically targets the omicron variants of COVID-19 that have dominated the pandemic for much of the past year, but most Washington residents have not yet rolled up their sleeves. A chart on the Washington State Department of Health’s website shows only 16% of eligible people in Washington have gotten the new shot. Dr. Seth Cohen, clinical assistant professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Flu, RSV season already hitting parts of eastern US | Northwest News Radio3 months ago
  Flu season came early and spiked hard in Australia and New Zealand, and a UW doctor says with the flu already hitting parts of the eastern US hard, it'll probably do the same here with so many of us avoiding the flu for two years. Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Global COVID cases will increase in coming months, but at a slower pace, analysis says | Reuters3 months ago
  Daily global COVID-19 infections are projected to rise slowly to about 18.7 million by February from the current 16.7 million average daily cases, driven by the Northern Hemisphere's winter months, the University of Washington said in an analysis. Far fewer infections are expected than last winter's estimated peak daily average of about 80 million cases in January of 2022 that was driven by the rapid spread of the omicron variant. A report from the UW's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is referenced.
• Biden gets updated booster ahead of possible winter surge | USA Today3 months ago
  President Joe Biden got his updated COVID-19 booster shot on Tuesday and urged other Americans to do the same heading into the holiday season. The UW's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is referenced.
• No need to stress out about new COVID subvariant, UW doctor says | KIRO Radio4 months ago
  You may be concerned after hearing of a new Omicron subvariant, like the XBB variant in East Asia right now. Some are calling it the nightmare variant because of its ability to spread fast, but Dr. Seth Cohen, clinical assistant professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, says not to stress out about it.
• Health officials brace for new COVID strains ahead of potential winter surge | KUOW4 months ago
  In Washington state, like the rest of the country, the Omicron subvariant BA.5 remains dominant, but the virus continues to mutate and several other versions of the Omicron variant are on the horizon. Pavitra Roychoudhury, acting instructor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• With flu season looming, these tips will help boost your immune system | KUOW4 months ago
  Cold and flu season is on the way, in step with Covid Winter #3. Which begs the question, what are some best practices to prep our immune system to fight off viruses during our long, dark winter? Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• New Omicron booster could save the lives of senior citizens, says White House COVID czar Dr. Ashish Jha | Fortune4 months ago
  To get the new Omicron booster or not—it’s a life and death decision for American seniors, the White House’s COVID czar said Monday, encouraging those over 50 to get the updated jab ahead of an anticipated fall wave of cases. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• US warned to get ready as Europe deals with new COVID-19 rise  | The Hill4 months ago
  Rising COVID-19 cases in Europe are setting off warnings that the U.S. could experience a new surge this winter. Previous jumps in the U.S. have followed a pattern in which cases first rise in Europe, making officials nervous they could see a spike in U.S. cases as the weather turns. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Omicron COVID boosters appear to work, regardless of side effects | CNBC4 months ago
  If you already got your omicron-specific COVID booster, you might have experienced some side effects. Maybe even ones that were more intense than your previous shot. But there’s no need to worry: Experts and new data say the new shots appear to work — regardless of whether you experience moderate, mild or no side effects at all. Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• How to boost your immune system during cold and flu season | The New York Times4 months ago
  As the days shorten and people trade their tank tops and shorts for sweaters and tights, the turn of autumn signals another new beginning: the start of flu and cold season, and COVIC winter number 3. Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• What to know about the updated COVID booster in WA | The Seattle Times4 months ago
  The Omicron-specific COVID-19 booster arrived in Washington nearly two months ago, but rates for the shot remain low, and questions around eligibility, access and safety continue to pop up. Health experts want as many Washingtonians to receive it as possible, hoping to protect communities against possible fall or winter surges. Dr. Seth Cohen, clinical assistant professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Can the COVID vaccine make you test positive? What's the best booster timing? | NPR4 months ago
  A roundup of COVID vaccine-related questions from Goats and Soda listeners. Dr. Seth Cohen, clinical assistant professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Health disparities in Washington's Latinx communities | Northwest News Network4 months ago
  Latinx people make up about 13.7% of the population in our state, but their health is a mixed picture, said Dr. Leo Morales, professor of medicine at the UW School of Medicine and co-director of the UW Latino Center for Health.

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