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. 

• What are the top symptoms of long COVID? | Everyday Health1 day ago
  An ambitious new scientific investigation published in JAMA on May 25 proposed a list of 12 symptoms that can be used to identify long COVID. Researchers consider it a big first step in the quest to find treatment or even a cure for the condition. Dr. Jessica Bender, co-medical director at the UW Medicine Post-COVID-19 Rehabilitation and Recovery Clinic, is quoted.
• China is bracing for a massive new wave of COVID cases — what this means for the rest of the world | Fortune1 week ago
  Cases of Omicron variant XBB are mounting in China, forming a new wave expected to crest around 65 million cases weekly by the end of June. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• End of COVID emergency highlights US weakness in tracking outbreaks | The Washington Post3 weeks ago
  When the COVID public health emergency ends May 11, American labs, hospitals and state health departments will likely report less comprehensive data to the CDC. That will make it more difficult for the agency to protect Americans. David Fleming, clinical associate professor of epidemiology at the UW, is quoted.
• US Surgeon General says country seeing epidemic of loneliness, WA health leaders weigh in | KEPR Pasco4 weeks ago
  The U.S. Surgeon General says the country is suffering from an epidemic of loneliness. We talked to state health leaders who tell us the condition can make an impact on your health. Patrick Raue, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Opinion: COVID responses across the US: What worked, what didn’t, and what made a difference | South Seattle Emerald1 month ago
  "While COVID isn’t entirely behind us yet, most of the emergency declarations are expiring, and the public health community is now finally getting around to understanding who responded well, who didn’t, and what made a difference," writes freelancer Kevin Schofield. A study from the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is featured.
• Spring COVID-19 booster now available, as Health Leaders continue to monitor new variant | KEPR1 month ago
  Health Leaders from the UW School of Medicine say a second Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster is now available. Doctors say some may need it more than others. Dr. Shireesha Dhanireddy, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• COVID variant 'Arcturus' is spreading: What to know about XBB.1.16 | NBC News1 month ago
  XBB.1.16 — dubbed “Arcturus” on social media — is another descendant of Omicron. It was first detected in early January, and the majority of cases have been seen in India so far. It’s been steadily rising in the U.S. in recent weeks, although it still made up slightly less than 10% of new confirmed COVID cases as of Saturday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• COVID-19 booster from last fall sufficient to fight variants, UW Medicine doctor says | MyNorthwest1 month ago
  The COVID-19 booster that became available last fall should provide ample protection against emerging virus variants, according to UW Medicine. Dr. Shireesha Dhanireddy, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Latinos in Washington likely suffering silently from long COVID | South Seattle Emerald2 months ago
  A new study seeks to discover how many Latinos in Washington state are experiencing prolonged medical symptoms after a COVID-19 infection without realizing it. Dr. Leo Morales, professor of medicine at the UW School of Medicine and co-director of the UW Latino Center for Health, is quoted. Dr. Janna Friedly, professor of medicine and of rehabilitation medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is mentioned.
• Who needs a COVID vaccine? What CDC, WHO, experts say | Miami Herald2 months ago
  Certain people may benefit more from additional COVID-19 vaccines — but new global guidance says vaccinating healthy children and teenagers against the virus can now be considered a “low priority.” Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Pfizer COVID drug Paxlovid may reduce the risk of long COVID | CNBC2 months ago
  People who take Pfizer’s COVID antiviral treatment Paxlovid shortly after infection may reduce their risk of developing long COVID, regardless of their age, vaccination status or infection history, new research suggests. The study, published Thursday in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, found that people who took Paxlovid within five days of a positive COVID test saw a 26% lower risk of long COVID compared with those who didn’t receive it. More than 35,000 people took the oral COVID pill in the study, while 246,000 did not. Dr. Jessica Bender, co-medical director at the UW Medicine Post-COVID-19 Rehabilitation and Recovery Clinic, is quoted. Dr. Anita Chopra, clinical instructor in internal medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is mentioned.
• Long COVID: The truth about it is emerging, and it’s not what we thought | Slate2 months ago
  Even before 2020’s first horrific wave of COVID-19 deaths subsided, reports surfaced warning of a brutal second punch: Instead of recovering quickly after a mild infection, some people were suffering from symptoms that lingered or even intensified in the weeks and months that followed. The condition came to be called long COVID. A UW study is referenced.
• Pandemic fatigue and a lack of research dollars means long COVID patients are being left behind | Salon3 months ago
  So far this year, most metrics for measuring the COVID pandemic have been trending downward. On average, there are fewer deaths, hospitalizations and overall infections, while traces of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewater have dropped. Antiviral drugs and vaccines still work, even against XBB.1.5, the most dominant variant the last several months. We understand how to fight this disease better than ever compared to three years ago and the good news is that we seem to be winning. For now. Unfortunately, none of this means the pandemic is truly "over." Dr. Nikki Gentile, assistant professor of family medicine at the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• New study finds link between inflammation and long-COVID symptoms | Axios Seattle3 months ago
  Three years after long COVID was first documented, the mysteries behind what causes it are starting to be unraveled. Some of the mental symptoms of long COVID, like brain fog and memory issues, are likely sparked by inflammation, according to a new study published this month by researchers with the UW School of Medicine, the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, and Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. William Banks, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• The winter COVID wave that wasn't: Why the US didn't see a surge | ABC News3 months ago
  When the United States saw COVID-19 cases and deaths rise around this past Christmas and New Year's, many Americans feared the country was in for a third winter wave. But as quickly as both metrics went up, they also came down. Weekly cases and deaths in late winter 2022-23 are on par with what was seen in spring 2022, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• The science and politics of COVID natural immunity | WBUR3 months ago
  If you get COVID and recover, can that protect you from severe illness or death, even if you catch COVID again? More and more studies say yes — that natural immunity can be just as protective as vaccination. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is interviewed.
• Long COVID, long wait times: Patients turned away from specialty clinics turn to primary care docs | KUOW3 months ago
  Clinics specializing in long-COVID treatment have long wait times — often six months or more. And the communities hit hardest by COVID — people of color and those who are low-income — have had an especially hard time getting in. Now, long-COVID experts are trying to increase access to care by training the primary care providers who work in those communities how to recognize and treat the condition. Dr. Janna Friedly, professor of medicine and of rehabilitation medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• UW research team discovers the cause behind long-COVID brain fog | KING 53 months ago
  A UW research team has found the neurological symptoms of long COVID, such as brain fog, are due to neuroinflammation. The research paper published in March concludes that similar to the COVID-triggered respiratory inflammation in the lungs, the same infection can cause inflammation in the brain. Elizabeth Rhea, a research assistant professor of gerontology in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• What is the state of the COVID-19 pandemic in Washington? | KING 53 months ago
  The last mask mandate is set to end in less than a month for those in Washington’s health care facilities. It comes as health officials say COVID-19 rates are continuing to decline, and the federal government prepares to end its pandemic response declaration this May. So where do things stand now with the virus in Washington — and can we let our guard down? It's a question on many people's minds as the pandemic’s impacts evolve locally. Gerard Cangelosi, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
• UW Medicine seeking participants for COVID vaccine study | KGMI3 months ago
  Researchers from UW Medicine and Kaiser Permanente in Portland are recruiting adults and children in the Pacific Northwest to take part in a study to test COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness. The researchers need 3,500 people aged 6 months to 49 years for the study, with the primary goal to determine how well the vaccines protect children between 5 and 18 years old.
• Long COVID in WA Hispanics being studied—High rates expected | Bellingham Herald3 months ago
  Hispanics in Washington state have had higher rates of infection and death from the COVID-19 pandemic than the general population. And if national statistics hold for the state, they also have higher rates of long COVID, or lingering effects of the virus. Dr. Leo Morales, professor of medicine at the UW School of Medicine and co-director of the UW Latino Center for Health, is quoted.
• Infected in the first wave, they navigated long COVID without a roadmap | Reuters3 months ago
  At least 65 million people worldwide are estimated to have long COVID, according to an evidence review published last month in Nature Reviews Microbiology. More than 200 symptoms have been linked to the syndrome - including extreme fatigue, difficulty thinking, headaches, dizziness when standing, sleep problems, chest pain, blood clots, immune dysregulation and even diabetes. The UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is referenced.
• UW study will survey Latinos in the state with COVID-19 | Yakima Herald3 months ago
  A UW study will survey the impact long COVID has had on Latino communities across the state. UW said its Latino Center for Health will partner with SeaMar Community Health Centers, the Allen Institute for Immunology and the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, according to a news release. Dr. Leo Morales, professor of medicine at the UW School of Medicine and co-director of the UW Latino Center for Health, is quoted.
• UW study: Catching COVID gives protection from its worst effects | The Seattle Times3 months ago
  A past COVID-19 infection offers “durable,” temporary protection against getting severely sick with the coronavirus — no matter the variant, a new study has found. Though natural immunity against COVID offers protections, the findings don’t discourage vaccination, which is still the top method of preventing serious illness, experts involved in the research say. Stephen Lim, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• UW partners with local clinics to study impacts of long COVID in Latino communities | KEPR3 months ago
  Leaders from the UW Latino Center for Health and their partners are studying the impacts of long COVID in Latino communities across the state. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Latinos have the highest rates of long COVID. They say around 9% of those surveyed are reporting these symptoms, compared to only 7.5% of adults in the U.S. overall. Dr. Leo Morales, professor of medicine at the UW School of Medicine and co-director of the UW Latino Center for Health, is quoted.
• Study: COVID-19 infection offers protection from virus that is as strong as vaccination | KIRO 73 months ago
  A study published Thursday in The Lancet appears to show that immunity acquired from a COVID-19 infection protects against hospitalization and death as well and for as long as two doses of an mRNA vaccine. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Prior COVID infection brings strong, long-lasting immunity | HealthDay4 months ago
  Natural immunity acquired from a COVID infection provides strong and lasting protection against severe illness if a person becomes reinfected, a new evidence review has concluded. Ten months after a COVID infection, protection against hospitalization and death remains at 89% for Omicron and 90% for earlier variants, according to pooled data from 65 studies conducted in 19 countries. Caroline Stein, a postdoctoral scholar at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• COVID infection gives temporary protection from virus: study | Miami Herald4 months ago
  A past COVID-19 infection offers “durable,” temporary protection against getting severely sick with the coronavirus — no matter the variant, a new study has found. Though natural immunity against COVID-19 offers protections, the findings don’t discourage vaccination, which is still the top method of preventing serious illness, experts involved in the research say. Stephen Lim, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• COVID-19 infection offers strong protection against reinfection for about 10 months, study finds | CNN4 months ago
  For at least 10 months after a COVID-19 infection, your immune system can provide good protection against symptomatic illness the next time around, a new study found, and the risk of severe illness is even lower. The researchers, from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation COVID-19 Forecasting Team, said their study is the largest review yet of available data on the subject. The study, published Thursday in The Lancet, is a meta-analysis that looks at 65 studies from 19 countries. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Omicron still infected those with early COVID cases, study says | Bloomberg4 months ago
  People who got COVID in the early stages of the pandemic weren’t especially safe from catching the virus again when the Omicron variant swept the world, according to a study. Those who were infected with other variants were only 36% better protected from reinfection with Omicron about 10 months later than people who hadn’t had the disease, UW researchers said Thursday in The Lancet. Stephen Lim, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Natural immunity as protective as COVID vaccine against severe illness | NBC News4 months ago
  Immunity acquired from a COVID infection provides strong, lasting protection against the most severe outcomes of the illness, according to research published Thursday in The Lancet — protection, experts say, that’s on par with what’s provided through two doses of an mRNA vaccine. Infection-acquired immunity cut the risk of hospitalization and death from a COVID reinfection by 88% for at least 10 months, the study found. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Risk of developing diabetes after COVID-19 continued in Omicron period, study says | CNN4 months ago
  People who’ve had COVID-19 have a higher risk of developing diabetes, and that link seems to have persisted into the Omicron era, a new study finds. Mounting evidence suggests COVID-19 infections are tied to a new diagnosis of diabetes, though it’s not clear whether this relationship is a coincidence or cause-and-effect. Dr. Luke Wander, assistant professor of medicine at the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Goodbye, Johns Hopkins COVID tracker | The Washington Post4 months ago
  When the pandemic hit, the federal government struggled to publish snapshots of the virus’ spread. So, academics and journalists quickly filled the void, creating new tools with near real-time estimates of the unfolding pandemic. Since January 2020, Johns Hopkins University has operated one of the most prominent resources for tracking COVID-19 case counts and deaths across the world. After more than three years, the university will stop updating its tracker on March 10 as the country has moved into a different stage of the pandemic with a different data flow. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Doctors from UW Medicine encouraging boosters for pregnancy | KEPR4 months 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 Times4 months 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 Spokane4 months 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 Radio4 months 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 | KUOW4 months 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 | Patch4 months 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 Seattle4 months 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 | NPR4 months 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 Times5 months 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 Post5 months 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 | Time5 months 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 | Patch5 months 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 | KUOW5 months 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 | Time5 months 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 | WIRED5 months 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 | WIRED5 months 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 55 months 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 American5 months 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 News5 months 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 | KEPR5 months 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 | KOMO5 months 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 | KNDO5 months 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 | Patch5 months 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 | Vox5 months 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 | Fortune5 months 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 Conversation5 months 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 Atlantic5 months 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 75 months 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 | Forbes5 months 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 | CNN5 months 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 Post5 months 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 | Patch5 months 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 Radio5 months 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 | CNBC5 months 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 Times5 months 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 Post5 months 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 | MSNBC5 months 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.

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