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. 

• Disproportionately hit by COVID-19, WA Latinos brace for vaccine | Crosscut1 day ago
  Public health experts are racing to prepare communities for the vaccine, but they face notable hurdles. The UW's India Ornelas, associate professors of health services, and Clarence Spigner, professor of health services, are quoted. Dr. Leo Morales, professor of medicine at the UW School of Medicine, and a report by the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation are referenced.
• If I had COVID-19 should I still get the vaccine? | Refinery291 day ago
  The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are slowly continuing to become more widely available nationwide, and it looks like the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may be on the way as well. Most people are eager to get vaccinated, but many are asking: If I had and recovered from COVID-19, should I still get the vaccine? Dr. Paul Pottinger, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Opinion: U-Turn — Survey of 477 districts shows surge in COVID-19 cases is reversing reopening progress in America's schools | Patch1 day ago
  "The incoming Biden-Harris administration laid out the goal of reopening most schools within the first 100 days of their term. Unfortunately, as of last month, the nation's school districts are moving in the opposite direction," write Betheny Gross, associate director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education at UW Bothell;. Alice Opalka, a research analyst at the center; and Padma Gundapaneni, a junior research analyst at the center.
• 8 COVID-19 vaccine myths people need to stop believing | Huffington Post1 day ago
  From unfounded concerns about severe reactions to confusion over how the vaccine actually works, misinformation is swirling. Dr. Linda Eckert, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Monitoring wastewater for COVID-19 | KNKX2 days ago
  Mari Winkler, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, says that sewer-sampling can tell us which neighborhoods are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and where to target vaccination efforts.
• Delay in vaccinating most Washington K-12 teachers, staff alarms legislators, union | The Seattle Times2 days ago
  A bipartisan group of Washington lawmakers and the state’s teachers union are pushing Gov. Jay Inslee and state health officials to bump up teachers and other school staff on the priority list for the coronavirus vaccine. Dr. Vin Gupta, affiliate assistant professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• University of Washington tests wastewater to track COVID-19 outbreaks in Seattle neighborhoods | seattlepi.com2 days ago
  The College of Engineering is investigating a new large-scale testing method to detect COVID-19 in wastewater by pulling sewage samples from Seattle pump stations. The UW's Raymond Redcorn, a postdoctoral researcher in civil and environmental engineering, and Mari Winkler, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, are quoted.
• Trump’s abrupt shift on COVID-19 shots may sow more chaos | Politico2 days ago
  Trump administration health officials blindsided states on Tuesday with an abrupt and dramatic shift in how they’ll distribute coronavirus vaccines that may set up new hurdles for the Biden transition team. Dr. Vin Gupta, affiliate assistant professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• US fisheries hit hard by COVID-19 | Hakai Magazine2 days ago
  The COVID-19 pandemic that has gripped the world for much of the past year has disrupted many industries, and fisheries are no exception. An early analysis estimates that in the United States, the pandemic has caused fresh seafood catches to decline by 40% relative to 2019, while imports fell by 37% and exports by 43%. Ray Hilborn, professor of aquatic and fishery sciences at the UW, is quoted.
• The COVID-19 vaccine rollout faces a two-shot problem | WIRED2 days ago
  It’s clear that the effort to protect the US against the novel coronavirus is locked inside a nested set of problems: Not enough vaccine doses are traveling from manufacturers to the states, and not enough doses are transferring from states’ freezers to residents’ arms. What has not been clear is how to solve the gridlock. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• CDC: International travelers flying to US will need proof of negative COVID-19 test | KING 53 days ago
  Anyone flying into the U.S. will soon have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test, before boarding their flight. Dr. Ann Marie Kimball, professor emeritus of epidemiology at the UW, is interviewed.
• UW doctors lead research on impact of COVID-19 on student athletes | KOMO Radio3 days ago
  The UW, Harvard University and the American Heart Association are studying the effects of COVID-19 on the hearts of students athletes. Dr. Jonathan Drezner, professor of family medicine in the UW School of Medicine, says that it's hard to tell what the long-term effects of COVID-19 are at this point, but there is evidence of heart-muscle damage.
• WA climbing gyms to reopen with COVID-19 restrictions | Tacoma News Tribune3 days ago
  Indoor climbing gyms reopened across the state Monday with a new label: low-risk. It’s a designation the recently formed Washington Indoor Climbing Coalition has been pushing for since November when Gov. Jay Inslee imposed new public health restrictions to combat a third wave of COVID-19. Dr. John Lynch, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• COVID-19 measures also suppress flu — for now | Science3 days ago
  Influenza forecasters are a cautious bunch. Flu cases can spike in late winter after months of low infection rates, making experts reluctant to predict a mild season too soon. But many are ready to declare that COVID-19 control measures have dramatically tamped down the flu and other respiratory viruses that would normally be ripping through the Northern Hemisphere. Trevor Bedford, affiliate associate professor of genome sciences and of epidemiology at the UW, is quoted.
• US plan to expand COVID-19 vaccine access likely sets up new debacles | Stat News3 days ago
  As health authorities across the country struggle to get COVID-19 vaccination programs up and running, outgoing Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar threw a new wrench into the works on Tuesday, telling states to expand priority access to tens of millions of additional people immediately. Dr. Beth Bell, clinical professor of global health at the UW, is quoted.
• Feds order states to expand COVID-19 vaccine targets as deaths surge | The New York Times3 days ago
  The Trump administration, racing a surging COVID-19 death toll, instructed states on Tuesday to immediately begin vaccinating every American 65 and older, as well as tens of millions of adults with medical conditions that put them at higher risk of dying from coronavirus infection. Marion Pepper, associate professor of immunology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Another way to track COVID-19 infections | KOMO Radio3 days ago
  Raymond RedCorn, a postdoctoral researcher in civil and environmental engineering at the UW, says that his team decided to look at wastewater near the UW's Greek Row since there was an outbreak there.
• Testing for COVID-19 on the neighborhood level | KOMO Radio3 days ago
  Mari Winkler, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the UW, talks about how checking wastewater for signs of COVID-19 enables researchers to check for the virus in individual neighborhoods, reducing the importance of individual tests and indicating which areas might need more resources.
• Local researchers look at wastewater for COVID-19 | KOMO Radio3 days ago
  John Carter, a research technician in the UW Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, says that some of the virus is shed in their feces. He is part of the team looking at the U Village pump station and at a utility hole near the UW's Greek Row.
• California swinger party attended by over 200 people busted by police | Newsweek3 days ago
  As coronavirus cases continue to rise in California, a swinger party in Los Angeles has been busted by the Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department. A report by the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is quoted.
• UW researchers use wastewater to detect COVID-19 and identify neighborhood outbreaks | KING 54 days ago
  Seattle researchers say by collecting sewage samples from neighborhoods, community outbreaks can be identified while protecting people’s privacy. The UW's Mari Winkler, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, and Pieter Candry, a postdoctoral researcher in civil and environmental engineering, are interviewed.
• Tracking outbreaks | KIRO 74 days ago
  Raymond RedCorn, a postdoctoral researcher in civil and environmental engineering at the UW, talks about how researchers test wastewater to detect COVID-19.
• Southwest Washington teachers concerned over in-person, hybrid learning | KGW4 days ago
  Teachers we spoke with said they don't feel safe going back to in-person learning at this time. A study that came out in December, involving multiple universities including the University of Washington, is quoted.
• COVID-19 and pregnancy | KOMO Radio4 days ago
  Dr. Kristina Adams Waldorf, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW School of Medicine, says that women in their last trimester of pregnancy may be more susceptible to severe COVID-19 pneumonia.
• Should you be worried about allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine? | KOMO Radio4 days ago
  Dr. Shireesha Dhanireddy, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, says that the vast majority of people with allergies shouldn't be worried about getting the COVID-19 vaccine and that everybody should be monitored for 15 minutes after getting it.
• COVID-19 in the wastewater: UW researchers track silent spreader in sewage | Q134 days ago
  As COVID-19 runs rampant in the Puget Sound, University of Washington scientists are tracking the virus in the one place most of us want nothing to do with — the sewer. The UW's Sarah Philo, a doctoral student in environmental and occupational health sciences, and Scott Meschke, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences, are interviewed. Angelo Ong, a research scientist in environmental and health sciences, is also featured.
• When it comes to COVID-19 risk, what counts as ‘outdoor’ dining? | Popular Science4 days ago
  Restaurants in colder climates are serving people inside structures that mimic everything from backyard sheds to bouncy castles. When it comes to COVID transmission, does eating in your own personal hamster ball, igloo, or dog house count as eating outside? Marissa Baker, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
• Little cloth mask is big tool in COVID-19 battle | KOIN4 days ago
  Sure, the COVID vaccine is being rolled out. But the little cloth mask is the real star in helping slow the spread of the coronavirus. Dr. John Lynch, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• No evidence homegrown variant is fueling coronavirus surge in the US, CDC says | CNN4 days ago
  There is no evidence the United States has a homegrown variant of coronavirus that's fueling the recent increased spread of the virus, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Trevor Bedford, affiliate associate professor of genome sciences and of epidemiology at the UW, is quoted.
• ‘What happened to flu season?’ Doctors say flu cases are lowest in recorded history | KIRO 74 days ago
  While the pandemic dominates every aspect of life everywhere, Doctors say something quietly remarkable is happening to another typically dangerous virus, leaving them with a question: What happened to the flu? Dr. Paul Pottinger, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• Citizen science is booming during the COVID-19 pandemic | Vox5 days ago
  From backyard astronomy to birding, amateurs have been busy collecting data — and making real discoveries. Researchers at the University of Washington invited people to contribute to COVID-19 drug discovery using a computer game called Foldit.
• A lot more people will soon be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine | The Everett Herald5 days ago
  As the state prepares to expand vaccine eligibility to more than a million additional Washingtonians, public health agencies and medical providers must meet the logistical requirements of getting the doses injected in people’s arms, letting eligible people know when and how to get their shots, while also fighting disinformation about the vaccine. Dr. Doug Paauw, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Seattle's COVID-19 self-testing kiosks run risk of false negatives, FDA warns | KING 55 days ago
  Despite concerns about the accuracy of Curative's COVID-19 testing kiosks, the city of Seattle is sticking with them. Dr. Geoffrey Baird, associate professor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• As coronavirus mutates, the world stumbles again to respond | The New York Times5 days ago
  A South African tip led to the discovery of mutations around the world. With infections skyrocketing, “it’s a race against time.” Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.
• Allergies and the COVID-19 vaccine | KIRO Radio1 week ago
  Dr. Shireesha Dhanireddy, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, says that allergies shouldn't keep a vast majority of people from getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
• How mutant viruses evade the immune response | BBC1 week ago
  Allie Greaney, a doctoral student in genome sciences in the UW School of Medicine, talks about her work studying how mutations in COVID-19 affect the ability of antibodies to bind to and recognize the virus. [This is a BBC World Service broadcast on Alaska Public Radio.]
• UW researchers find immunity in people who have mild cases of COVID-19 | KOMO Radio1 week ago
  Lauren Rodda, a postdoctoral fellow in immunology in the UW School of Medicine, says that her study shows that people who have mild cases of COVID-19 have natural protection from the virus, but she and her colleagues don't know if the vaccine would elevate that protection more. They recommend that people in this cohort get the vaccine.
• Head of UW Virology Lab answers your vaccine questions | MyNorthwest1 week ago
  KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross speaks with Dr. Keith Jerome, professor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, to answer common questions about the vaccine rollout and address the post-holiday surge in cases.
• University of Washington study: Immune memory in mild COVID-19 cases lasts 3 months | seattlepi.com1 week ago
  In a study of blood samples of recovered patients of mild COVID-19 cases, researchers with UW's Department of Immunology found that an immune-memory defense against the virus remained present in the body for at least three months after the illness was over. Dr. David Rawlings, professor of pediatrics in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• UW doctor says we can't let our guard down against COVID-19 | YakTriNews1 week ago
  Although it’s nearly been a year since pandemic shutdowns started, Dr. John Lynch, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, said we’re not much closer to normal.
• Severe allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines are extremely rare, says the CDC | KING 51 week ago
  You may have heard it from family and friends: they don’t want to get the COVID-19 vaccine because they’ve heard of people having a bad reaction. But according to the CDC, the risk of an allergic reaction is astronomically low, and doctors at UW Medicine are backing that up as well. Eric Marie, a physical therapist with UW Medicine, and Dr. Doug Paauw, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, are interviewed.
• How will you know when to get the coronavirus vaccine after the first wave of vaccinations are finished? | The Seattle Times1 week ago
  There is one question being asked more than any other by readers: How will they know and how will they be notified when it is their turn to be inoculated for the new coronavirus? UW Medicine spokesperson Susan Gregg is quoted.
• When will the California COVID-19 surge end? | Los Angeles Times1 week ago
  Today, with the numbers of new infections, hospitalizations and deaths in the state continuing to break records, Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, talked about when his group is predicting this nightmare will end.
• Expert warns against getting only one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine | KOMO Radio1 week ago
  Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, talks about why he doesn't support the proposal to take only one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
• FDA against half-dose proposal | KOIN1 week ago
  The FDA has come out against a proposal by UW researchers to administer only one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, calling the changes "not rooted solidly in available evidence."
• Government paid AutoMedx to build ventilator that doctors say won’t work | The Washington Post1 week ago
  The SAVe II ventilator was designed for battlefield use on wounded soldiers. Studies, including one by the UW, found it unsuitable for treating the kind of respiratory problems created by the coronavirus.
• Local health officials say new COVID-19 variant could already be in Washington | KOMO 41 week ago
  Doctors say that the new variant strain of COVID-19, recently identified in several other states, could be detected any day here in Washington. In fact, they say this variant could already be circulating in our community. Dr. Paul Pottinger, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• UW professor on one-dose vaccine strategy | Q131 week ago
  Ruanne Barnabas, associate professor of global health and of medicine at the UW, says data shows that the efficacy from a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is sufficient to protect people and that delaying a second dose would allow more people to be protected upfront.
• University of Washington doctors push to speed vaccine distribution | KOIN1 week ago
  Ruanne Barnabas, associate professor of global health and of medicine at the UW, talks about a push to speed up vaccine distribution nationwide.
• Misinformation 'superspreaders': COVID vaccine falsehoods still thriving on Facebook and Instagram | The Guardian1 week ago
  Conspiracy theories and misinformation about the coronavirus vaccine are still spreading on Facebook and Instagram, more than a month after Facebook pledged it would take them down. Kolina Koltai, a postdoctoral researcher at the UW Center for an Informed Public, is quoted.
• We're botching the vaccine rollout — here's how to get it back on track | Fast Company1 week ago
  States have 15 million doses. They’ve only given out 4.5 million. This is the series of cascading failures that have taken the country to the point that vaccines may expire before we can give them out. Janet Baseman, professor of epidemiology at the UW, is quoted.
• Stretching limited vaccine supplies | KGMI1 week ago
  Ruanne Barnabas, associate professor of global health and of medicine at the UW, says initially limiting the coronavirus vaccine to one dose per person will extend limited quantities and still provide protection.
• UW Medicine shares number of vaccinations | KOMO Radio1 week ago
  More than 13,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered by UW Medicine. Dr. Shireesha Dhanireddy, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, says two hospitals have been vaccinating with Pfizer, and two hospitals have been vaccinating with Moderna.
• Trials for Novavax vaccine are underway | KUOW1 week ago
  Dr. Anna Wald, professor of medicine, of epidemiology, and of laboratory medicine and pathology at the UW, talks about how the Novavax vaccine is a more traditional protein-based vaccine.
• 'I feel great': Washington state healthcare workers receive second dose of Pfizer vaccine | KOMO 41 week ago
  Health care systems across the state have started giving health workers the second dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Jules Mack, a respiratory clinical specialist at Harborview Medical Center; William Bodick, a social worker at UW Medicine; and Dr. Shireesha Dhanireddy, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, are quoted.
• What you need to know about the newly detected, more contagious COVID-19 variant | GeekWire1 week ago
  In a final parting shot, 2020 delivered this bit of late-breaking bad news: A new variant of COVID-19 has emerged that appears more contagious and last week was confirmed in one man in Colorado and another in California. Deborah Fuller, professor of microbiology in the UW School of Medicine, and Trevor Bedford, affiliate associate professor of genome sciences and of epidemiology at the UW, are quoted
• UW experts divided over skipping second COVID vaccine dose | MyNorthwest1 week ago
  A debate has emerged in the medical community over whether patients should skip the second doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine to conserve numbers. The UW's Ruanne Barnabas, associate professor of global health and of medicine; Dr. Anna Wald, professor of medicine, of epidemiology, and of laboratory medicine and pathology; and Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, are quoted.
• 5 new things we learned about COVID-19 in December 2020 | Huffington Post1 week ago
  The amount of information out there is dizzying. It’s hard to keep track of what’s known, what’s a myth and what guidance we should follow. Huffington Post rounded up five of the most important new things we learned about COVID-19 in December. Dr. William Banks, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• What new mutant COVID strain in New York means | Refinery291 week ago
  A supremely contagious strain of COVID-19 was discovered in New York State, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced January 4. The strain, known as the SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7, originated in the United Kingdom between late summer and early fall of last year. Dr. Paul Pottinger, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Latest IHME model predicts 5K could die every day by February | CNN1 week ago
  Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, explains the factors behind the institute's most recent forecast.
• Debate over vaccine size | KMTR1 week ago
  Ruanne Barnabas, associate professor of global health and of medicine at the UW, talks about why she supports waiting before everybody gets the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine before distributing the second.
• Single-dose strategy for COVID-19 vaccine | KXL1 week ago
  Ruanne Barnabas, associate professor of global health and of medicine at the UW, says that vaccinating as many people as possible has the potential to save lives and stop transmission.
• UW doctors propose alternate vaccine strategy | KOMO Radio1 week ago
  Ruanne Barnabas, associate professor of global health and of medicine at the UW, says that she and her colleague think that the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine should be delivered to as many people as possible as quickly as possible.
• COVID vaccine single-dose strategy | Q131 week ago
  In a statement, Ruanne Barnabas, associate professor of global health and of medicine at the UW, and Dr. Anna Wald, professor of medicine, of epidemiology, and of laboratory medicine and pathology at the UW, explain that they think giving partial protection from COVID-19 to many is a better strategy than providing complete protection to a smaller subset of the population.
• Debate over vaccine dose size | KATU1 week ago
  Ruanne Barnabas, associate professor of global health and of medicine at the UW, talks about why she supports the approach to give as many people as possible a half-dose of the COVID-19 vaccine before distributing a second dose.
• UW professors support half-dose vaccine plan | KVAL1 week ago
  Ruanne Barnabas, associate professor of global health and of medicine at the UW, says that since we don't have enough COVID-19 vaccine we have to think smartly about the distributing the vaccine to prevent infections.
• Slow rollout of COVID-19 vaccine in Washington, state to decide who is next | KOMO 41 week ago
  It is one of the most highly anticipated decisions of the New Year: who is going to be next in line to get the COVID-19 vaccine? It has been slow going in administering the doses, but those next up are eager to get their shot in the arm. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is interviewed.
• Washington sticking to full two-dose vaccine plan, as others look for ways to stretch supplies | KING 51 week ago
  The FDA is meeting this week to consider giving half doses of Moderna's COVID vaccine to people between the ages of 18 and 55, to extend limited supplies. Ruanne Barnabas, associate professor of global health and of medicine at the UW, is interviewed.
• Sure signs COVID has 'invaded' your brain, says study | Yahoo! News2 weeks ago
  A year ago, when the first cases of COVID-19 were detected in Wuhan, China, health experts considered it a respiratory virus, mainly attacking and damaging the lungs and heart. However, they soon realized that highly infectious disease can wreak havoc on nearly every organ—including the brain. Dr. William Banks, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Feds consider cutting Moderna vaccine doses in half, UW researcher reacts | KIRO 72 weeks ago
  Dr. Moncef Slaoui of Operation Warp Speed said he would like to see doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine cut in half. Slaoui said reducing the doses would allow them to vaccinate twice as many people. He says research shows giving half the dose to people between ages 18-55 gives the same immune response. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is interviewed.

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