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. 

• Some Americans want to choose which vaccine they get | NPR3 days ago
  Get the first vaccine you're offered: that's the public health message. Each COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective at preventing severe disease, but some Americans want to choose the vaccine they get. Dr. Douglas Opel, associate professor of pediatrics in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• Seattle homeless shelters are getting COVID-19 vaccines, but fewer takers than hoped | The Seattle Times3 days ago
  This month, Seattle–area shelters are embarking on a daunting task: Vaccinating more than 10,000 people without stable dwellings. Officials expect that vaccination effort to take much longer than reaching the general population. Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Trouble with spring allergies? Put on your COVID-19 mask, says UW doctor | MyNorthwest3 days ago
  Your COVID mask could have a second benefit besides protecting you from the coronavirus — it could help with those pesky spring allergies. Dr. Ania Long, clinical assistant professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• AstraZeneca and blood clots: By the numbers | Cosmos Magazine3 days ago
  Statistically, how likely are you to get blood clots from AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine? Dr. Denise McCulloch, a fellow in allergy and infectious diseases in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• University of Washington starts 2nd generation COVID-19 vaccine trial | KOMO 44 days ago
  UW Medicine has started a new trial for a 'second generation' COVID-19 vaccine intended to provide more protection against future variants. Dr. Anna Wald, professor of medicine, of epidemiology, and of laboratory medicine and pathology at the UW, is interviewed.
• COVID-19 infections could drop by June — depending on the vaccine rollout, UW researcher says | KING 54 days ago
  Could we see a drop in COVID-19 infections by June? That was the eyebrow-raising claim from Dr. Vin Gupta, affiliate assistant professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
• UW seeks volunteers for new coronavirus vaccine trial | Patch4 days ago
  The University of Washington School of Medicine is looking to enroll up to 40 volunteers in a clinical trial for a new, second-generation coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by U.S.-based biotechnology company Gritstone.
• America's vaccine rollout is happening at lightning speed — so why are health officials warning of 'impending doom'? | Australian Broadcasting Corporation4 days ago
  President Joe Biden has said that enough vaccine doses will be available for every single American adult by April 19. The speed of the vaccine rollout has been seen as a good sign by many. But rather than celebrating what appears like the end of the pandemic, American health officials seem even more rattled than usual. Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, is quoted.
• Vaccine hesitancy in jails and prisons | KOMO Radio4 days ago
  A UW and CDC study finds that vaccine hesitancy is high among people who are incarcerated, with less than 50% of those surveyed saying they felt comfortable getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
• IHME on a possible winter COVID-19 surge | KUOW4 days ago
  The University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is predicting that COVID-19 cases cases could still surge next winter, but with fewer deaths. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is interviewed. [This is the fourth segment of "The Record]
• As vaccinations rise, Seattle experts emphasize importance of COVID-19 testing | KING 54 days ago
  While more people are getting vaccinated, it remains vital that anyone exposed to coronavirus gets tested and takes proper precautions. Dr. Geoffrey Baird, associate professor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• Editorial: Smoker COVID-19 vaccine eligibility fraught with questions | Tacoma News Tribune4 days ago
  "Vaccinating smokers not only aligns with federal COVID-19 guidelines, it’s also the general consensus among respiratory specialists. We recognize that it’s a way to bolster the healthcare safety net. By reducing preventable virus hospitalizations, more beds are available for everyone from car accident survivors to cancer patients," writes the Tacoma News Tribune Editorial Board. Dr. Mark Wurfel, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• College can really ramp up stress for people with ADHD | HealthDay4 days ago
  College is far more stressful for undergrads with ADHD than for their classmates, but it doesn't have to defeat them. New research finds that resilience seems to be an important buffer. Margaret Sibley, associate professor of psychiatry and behavior sciences in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Advocates: Prisons need better vaccine education for inmates | Associated Press4 days ago
  Inmate advocates and researchers say prison systems need to do more to educate prisoners about the vaccines, as available data and surveys show that many inmates decline or express hesitancy about getting the shots. A UW study is referenced.
• Will schools be open in the fall? | Vox4 days ago
  Many school districts are still operating on a hybrid model, with each student attending school in person only part time; a few remain entirely remote. We still don’t know when children will be able to be vaccinated. And a rise in cases and the spread of variants has cast the next few months into doubt. A lot of families are wondering: What will happen in the fall? Robin Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education at UW Bothell, is quoted.
• UW researchers to study COVID-19 vaccines' long-term effectiveness | KING 54 days ago
  It’s the next step in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Tia Babu, acting assistant professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is heading up a local study looking at the long-term effectiveness of the vaccine.
• Why everyone should get paid time off for the COVID-19 vaccine | Huffington Post4 days ago
  The vaccine is free, but employees still bear the burdens of navigating sign-up systems and recovering from the shots. Deborah Fuller, professor of microbiology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• People of color more adversely affected by COVID-19 lockdowns, study finds | UPI4 days ago
  Just as the COVID-19 pandemic has more profoundly impacted communities of color, with higher infection and death rates than White communities, so too have lockdown measures designed to contain the virus, an analysis published Wednesday by JAMA Network Open found. Leigh Hamlet, a doctoral candidate in civil and environmental engineering at the UW, is quoted.
• UW vaccination model | KOIN5 days ago
  Researchers at the UW have developed a vaccination model they say would prevent a substantial number of COVID-19 deaths. Their model prioritizes vaccination based on risk of death and includes factors like sex, age, race and body mass index.
• Will there be enough vaccines when all Washington adults are eligible next week? | KOMO 45 days ago
  As Washington opens eligibility to millions around the state this month, some people are worried there won’t be enough vaccine to go around. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is interviewed.
• 1 in 4 Americans don't want a vaccine, putting herd immunity at risk | NPR5 days ago
  Some researchers are increasingly worried that this reticence will be enough to prevent the nation from reaching what's known as herd immunity, the point at which the coronavirus can no longer spread easily through the population and transmission peters out. Reaching high levels of vaccination would mean new outbreaks of the coronavirus would die down quickly, as opposed to growing and spreading. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, and Kolina Koltai, a postdoctoral researcher at the UW Center for an Informed Public, are interviewed.
• Opinion: COVID-19 herd immunity? Parts of Washington appear in no mood to join this herd | The Seattle Times5 days ago
  "Ever since early February, when some software volunteers debuted a website to help the public find COVID-19 vaccine appointments, they’ve had a unique window into the ebb and flow of what one engineer there dubbed 'the spice.' Who wants the vaccines, and who doesn’t? Where in the state are the shots snapped right up, and where are they left wanting?" writes columnist Danny Westneat. Jessica Chong, assistant professor of pediatrics in the UW School of Medicine, and Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, are quoted.
• Medical experts urge caution with 'vaccine passports' | KING 55 days ago
  Medical experts are urging caution as companies and some governments advance plans for COVID-19 "vaccine passports." Supporters of the idea said the credentials are a way to prove someone has been vaccinated. But some medical experts said the passports could reinforce inequalities or impede on personal freedoms. Nancy Jecker, professor of bioethics and humanities in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed.
• Should people get paid to get the COVID-19 vaccine? | KUOW6 days ago
  Nancy Jecker, professor of bioethics and humanities in the UW School of Medicine, says that paying people to get the COVID-19 could backfire, making people feel like the vaccine is risky. She said that having conversations to build trust is the best and most respectful strategy to overcome vaccine hesitancy.
• Allen Foundation donating $1M to improve vaccine equity in King County; reach BIPOC communities | seattlepi.com6 days ago
  The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation is donating $1 million to help get vaccinations to BIPOC communities and people experiencing homelessness through a partnership with Harborview Medical Center/UW Medicine and others. Dr. Lisa Chew, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• UW biologist: Herd immunity 'necessary but not sufficient' for return to normal | MyNorthwest6 days ago
  The term “herd immunity” has been thrown around frequently as vaccinations in the United States have ramped up, with many viewing it as the end goal for the COVID-19 pandemic. But as Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW, detailed in a thread posted to Twitter, it may not be that simple.
• Allen Family Foundation gives $1M to bolster COVID-19 vaccinations in underserved communities | GeekWire6 days ago
  The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation is contributing $1 million to help underserved communities in King County receive their COVID-19 vaccinations. The donation will support efforts by Harborview Medical Center and the University of Washington’s UW Medicine to provide mobile vaccination teams and popup clinics in racially diverse communities as well as supporting Harborview’s vaccination site.
• Scientists race to develop more convenient and potent COVID-19 vaccines | NPR6 days ago
  The three COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are safe and effective and were made in record time. But they aren't ideal. An ideal vaccine — besides being safe and effective — would have a few other desirable characteristics, says Deborah Fuller, professor of microbiology in the UW School of Medicine.
• Some countries considering vaccine passports for travel | CNN6 days ago
  Nancy Jecker, professor of bioethics and humanities in the UW School of Medicine, talks about the ethics of vaccine passports, including whether there is fair and equitable access to vaccines.
• Getting back to normal | KIRO Radio6 days ago
  Dan Bustillos, assistant professor of nursing and health studies at UW Bothell, says we don't need to eradicate COVID-19 for things to go back to normal. He thinks it will happen once everybody has access to a vaccine.
• Allen Foundation grant boosts COVID-19 vaccination in vulnerable Seattle-area communities | The Seattle Times6 days ago
  Roving clinics are a new addition to the lineup of vaccine options in King County, made possible by a $1 million grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. Dr. Lisa Chew, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Woman recovering after rare windpipe transplant from donor | Associated Press6 days ago
  Doctors say that windpipe transplants could potentially help other people including COVID-19 patients left with serious windpipe damage from breathing machines. Dr. Albert Merati, professor of otolaryngology/head and neck surgery in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Good news on pregnant women and the COVID-19 vaccine | US News6 days ago
  Emerging data points to safety for women who get a coronavirus shot during pregnancy and protection for their infants as well. Dr. Linda Eckert, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• As states expand vaccines, prisoners still lack access | Associated Press6 days ago
  This week, Florida expanded eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines to all residents 16 and older. But across the state, more than 70,000 people still don’t have access to the vaccine. Those men and women are Florida state prisoners. Dr. Marc Stern, affiliate assistant professor of health services at the UW, is referenced.
• Fighting vaccine-hesitancy (part 2) | KGMI7 days ago
  Dr. Santiago Neme, clinical assistant professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, continues his interview on a Seattle Mariners broadcast about vaccines and what UW Medicine is doing to address concerns about vaccines.
• Fighting vaccine-hesitancy (part 1) | KGMI7 days ago
  Dr. Santiago Neme, clinical assistant professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed on a Seattle Mariners broadcast about vaccines and what UW Medicine is doing to address concerns about vaccines.
• Health experts anticipating possible fourth COVID-19 surge in Washington | KOMO 47 days ago
  Rising case counts in Washington state have experts anticipating a potential fourth surge in this pandemic that could lead to some counties taking a step back in phases. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is interviewed.
• 'Remain vigilant': UW experts urge caution this summer as COVID-19 numbers change | KING 57 days ago
  University of Washington researchers are concerned that, by the middle of summer, it could feel for most people like the pandemic is over — but it won’t be. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is interviewed.
• Have you tested positive for COVID-19 recently? UW Medicine wants your help in a treatment trial | KXLY7 days ago
  University of Washington School of Medicine is enrolling COVID-19 patients in a therapy treatment trial. The study is called ‘ACTIV-2’ and is made up of four new therapies which include monoclonal antibodies, beta interferon and a protease inhibitor. Dr. Rachel Bender Ignacio, assistant professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Washington students are facing a mental health crisis — here’s why schools are on the front lines | The Seattle Times1 week ago
  Even before COVID-19, children and teens were reporting increasing incidence of hopelessness, anxiety and suicidal thoughts; these concerns disproportionately affect students of color, who are also less likely to report that they have an adult supporting them or that they are hopeful about the future. Isolation during a year away from school, on top of other stressors such as the national reckoning over racial justice, are compounding. Jason Kilmer, Aaron Lyon and Jill Locke, associate professors of psychiatry and behavioral sciences in the UW School of Medicine, are quoted. Lyon and Lock are also co-directors of the UW's SMART Center.
• Doctors: Use of masks still crucial right now | KATU1 week ago
  Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, says that people might need to accept the fact that some restrictions are here for the long term, because it allows them to do other things they want to do.
• Reaching people who are vaccine-hesitant | Q131 week ago
  Paula Houston, chief equity officer at UW Medicine, says that UW Medicine is hosting pop-up clinic events and becoming a constant presence in communities to reach those who are vaccine-hesitant.
• Do you a need test to tell you if you're allergic to the COVID-19 vaccine before getting it? | NBC News1 week ago
  Allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines are incredibly rare. But some allergy clinics are offering testing. Dr. Paul Williams, a clinical professor of pediatrics in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
• Opinion: We’re in a critical stage in the race to end deadly COVID-19 pandemic | The Seattle Times1 week ago
  "As our friends and neighbors receive vaccinations, the finish line seems tantalizingly close, inviting us to relax and enlarge our social circles. But this is not the time to relax and try to cruise to the finish line," writes Dr. Paul Ramsey, CEO of UW Medicine.
• How long will coronavirus vaccines protect people? | CNN1 week ago
  Doctors are worried that coronavirus may end up being like influenza, which requires a new vaccine every year both because the circulating strains mutate fast and because immunity from the vaccine wears off quickly. Ian Haydon, a public information specialist for the UW Institute for Protein Design, is quoted.
• US Coronavirus: More than 4 million vaccine doses in a day for new record | CNN1 week ago
  More than 4 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine were reported administered in the past 24 hours, setting a new record and bringing the seven-day average to more than 3 million a day, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Saturday. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• COVID news: CDC updates travel guidance; Michigan case spike | USA Today1 week ago
  Michigan's governor has blamed the state's recent spike in cases on higher rates of travel, lower rates of mask wearing and previous success keeping cases low in the state, and experts are warning the state's rise in COVID-19 cases could be a sign of things to come for the rest of the nation. The UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is quoted.
• Tents in Seattle increased by more than 50% after COVID-19 pandemic began, survey says | The Seattle Times1 week ago
  A survey, completed by researchers and students from Seattle Pacific University and University of Washington, found more than 800 tents in Seattle in spring and summer 2019, before the pandemic. The research team later resampled the highest-populated areas in winter 2019 and then summer 2020, and found the number of tents in those areas had ballooned by more than 50%.
• Washingtonians will need to ‘pack their patience’ when COVID-19 vaccine appointments open to all 16 and older | The Seattle Times1 week ago
  Public health experts say the change to an open-for-all system is good news, but caution that, at least immediately following what’s been coined “Vax Day,” patience and persistence will be required as appointments are quickly swept up. Janet Baseman, professor of epidemiology at the UW, is quoted.
• Many still hesitate to get vaccine, but reluctance is easing | Associated Press1 week ago
  The Biden administration this week launched a “We Can Do This” campaign to encourage holdouts to get vaccinated against the virus that has claimed over 550,000 lives in the U.S. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is referenced.
• 9 infectious disease experts share plans for summer 2021 | Today1 week ago
  The COVID-19 vaccine rollout has given us hope for a somewhat normal summer this year, and infectious disease experts are just as excited to enjoy the warm weather as the rest of the country. Gerard Cangelosi, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
• Variants vs. vaccinations: What the dueling trends mean for COVID-19 in the US | The Guardian1 week ago
  The United States is once again seeing a rise in Covid-19 cases. The vaccination campaign under the Biden administration has picked up significant speed, but so has circulation of variants of concern. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• US coronavirus: Get fully vaccinated before resuming normal activities, health experts plead with Americans | CNN1 week ago
  With fears growing the US may be facing a fourth surge of COVID-19 cases, health experts are pleading with Americans to keep taking precautions until they are fully vaccinated. The UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is quoted.
• When will people younger than 16 be COVID-vaccine eligible, and which jab is OK for teens? | The Seattle Times1 week ago
  People younger than 16 became the lone group not knowing when it will be vaccinated against COVID-19 now that everyone in Washington 16 years and older will be vaccine eligible by mid-month. Dr. Janet Englund, professor of pediatrics in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted
• What color means coronavirus safety? | The New York Times1 week ago
  Many states use color-coded tiers to signal coronavirus restrictions. Why are they all wildly different? Karen Cheng, professor of visual communication design at the UW, is quoted.
• America is in a race to vaccinate before variants overwhelm us | Axios2 weeks ago
  America is in a race to vaccinate people before the country is overwhelmed by variants that are spurring a fourth wave of COVID-19. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is quoted.
• Opinion: My year, and counting, of long COVID | MSN2 weeks ago
  "March 6 was my COVID anniversary — a week or more earlier than most Ontarians. That was the day my long COVID symptoms started last year, and I’m still working my way back to normal," writes Cara Smusiak. A UW study is referenced.
• Pfizer claims its COVID-19 vaccine is safe, protective for 12-year-old kids and older | KOMO 42 weeks ago
  Kids as young as 12-years-old could soon be able to get a vaccine. Pfizer announced Wednesday their vaccine is safe and strongly protective for kids 12 and above but federal approval is still needed. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is interviewed.
• New COVID-19 trial seeks answers on vaccines and variants | Bellingham Herald2 weeks ago
  A group of scientists that ran U.S. clinical trials for coronavirus vaccines last year is launching an ambitious new study to look at their effectiveness, including whether vaccinated people can become infected with COVID-19 and spread it to others. Dr. Larry Corey, professor of medicine and of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted. [This story appeared in multiple outlets]
• What we know about the impact of COVID-19 on children | The Washington Post2 weeks ago
  Young children typically are “superspreaders” of respiratory germs, so it’s puzzling that they don’t seem to be major transmitters of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. They’re also relatively absent among hospitalized patients. A study by the UW and UCLA is referenced.
• When will life return to normal? UW expert says it will take time | KING 52 weeks ago
  Signs of pre-pandemic life are returning, but the changes will be gradual, according to Dr. Paul Pottinger, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine.
• Anaysis: How can all schools safely reopen? | The Conversation2 weeks ago
  "The question of when and how to open schools for full in-person learning in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most consequential the U.S. currently faces. A wealth of evidence suggests that schools can provide in-person instruction with a very low level of risk when safety protocols are successfully implemented," writes Brandon Guthrie, assistant professor of global health and of epidemiology at the UW.
• Researchers recruiting college students for COVID-19 study | KUOW2 weeks ago
  Dr. Helen Chu, associate professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, says that if the study finds that the COVID-19 vaccine has the ability to prevent carriage and transmission of the virus, then researchers will have information indicating that it's safe to open up society.
• Concerns over crowded parks | KOMO 42 weeks ago
  Dr. Christopher Sanford, associate professor of global health and of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, says he'll be disappointed and worried if he sees people gatherings in parks and on beaches. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, says that people should remember to avoid breathing the same air as those around them.
• Health officials say majority of state's coronavirus breakthrough cases were mild | KOMO 42 weeks ago
  A hundred people in Washington have tested positive for COVID-19 after being fully vaccinated against the disease. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is interviewed.
• Epidemiologists explain what might be behind a potential fourth surge of COVID-19 | NPR2 weeks ago
  The nation's top health experts are raising alarm. New cases of the coronavirus are rising, up by more than 20% on average compared to just two weeks ago. And there are concerns that rise will accelerate even with more people getting the vaccine. Ali Mokdad, professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, is interviewed.
• UW study finds 89% of King County masked up in public | Patch2 weeks ago
  University of Washington researchers found a vast majority of King County properly wearing face coverings in public in recent months. Marissa Baker, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
• Zero flu deaths in Washington this season | KOMO Radio2 weeks ago
  Dr. Paul Pottinger, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, says that it does not appear that people can get COVID-19 and the flu at the same time.
• Alerted by high COVID-19 'activity,' state health officials visited shell’s Beaver County ethane cracker | NPR2 weeks ago
  Pennsylvania Department of Health officials visited the Beaver County construction site where Shell is building an ethane cracker in February after an uptick in COVID-19 cases there. Marissa Baker, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
• Your immune system evolves to fight coronavirus variants | Scientific American2 weeks ago
  By studying the blood of COVID survivors and people who have been vaccinated, immunologists are learning that some of our immune system cells—which remember past infections and react to them—might have their own abilities to change, countering mutations in the virus. Marion Pepper, associate professor of immunology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.

More