The World Health Organization formally declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. Communities across the globe are taking measures to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus. Below, you will find:
- how the UW School of Public Health is assisting in the public health response
- links to the latest information on what we know about the disease
- how UW scientists are sharing their expertise via the news media.
What are we doing to help?
Our Student Epidemic Action Leaders (SEAL) program trains graduate students in field epidemiology skills such as outbreak investigation and interviewing, then deploys them to provide critical, short-term assistance to state and local health departments. Our highly trained SEAL Team members have gone through orientation and are supporting local and state health agencies in the response to 2019-nCoV. They have committed over 100 hours a week to support contact tracing as well as active monitoring and data support.
In addition, the Office of the Dean has committed the time and services of Associate Dean for Public Health Practice Janet Baseman, a professor of epidemiology, to coordinate with state and local health agencies. Baseman also represents the School on the University of Washington's Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases.
The University of Washington MetaCenter for Pandemic Preparedness and Global Health Security aims to save lives by limiting the extent of infectious disease epidemics. The center fosters a bold, interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and integrated systems approach spearheaded by top scientists and practitioners that focuses on improving readiness before epidemics hit. MetaCenter experts are poised to assist local and global health agencies, and have held a public forum, "Coronavirus and Pandemic Disease Preparedness: What We Know and the Way Forward".
Elizabeth "Betz" Halloran, a professor of biostatistics and member of the Fred Hutch, has partnered with Northeastern University and others on a preliminary assessment of the international spreading risk associated with the outbreak.
Where to go for information
- CROI 2020 special webcast on COVID-19 NEW!
- How will country-based mitigation measures influence the course of the COVID-19 epidemic? (Lancet) NEW!
- New state and local Orders issued to protect residents’ health from COVID-19 NEW!
- Novel coronavirus information FAQ (UW)
- Public Health - Seattle & King County
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- World Health Organization
- Washington State Dept. of Health
- UW Environmental Health & Safety
- Genomic analysis of nCoV spread Situation report 2020-01-30
- Preliminary analysis of the 2019 nCOV outbreak in Wuhan city (MOBS Lab)
- Novel coronavirus map
- Coronavirus expert reality check
- Novel coronvavirus infection map global trend
For public health professionals
- Anti-stigma social media toolkit
- Emergency Risk Communication (free, brief online course through the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice)
- Introduction to Outbreak Investigation (free, one-hour online course)
News stories
How delays in testing set back the U.S. coronavirus response (New York Times) - quotes Helen Chu
Dick’s Drive-In urges customers to avoid paying with cash to slow spread of coronavirus (Seattle Times) - quotes Marilyn Roberts and Marissa Baker
Jails and courthouses across Washington look for ways to protect employees, jurors and inmates from coronavirus (Seattle Times) - quotes Marc Stern
COVID-19 crisis shows cracks in underfunded public health (Seattle Times) op/ed by Betty Bekemeier
Coronavirus vaccine at least a year away, but treatment could be here in months (Newsweek) - quotes Nicole Errett
Authorities announce 2nd coronavirus death in US (Associated Press) - quotes Trevor Bedford
UW expert answers COVID-19 questions (KOMO TV) - interviews Peter Rabinowitz
Coronavirus may have spread in US for weeks, gene sequencing suggest - (New York Times) interviews Trevor Bedford
Separating fact from fiction on COVID-19 (KING 5 TV) - interviews Peter Rabinowitz
Here are the US professions with the biggest risk of getting hit by coronavirus - and the threat goes way beyond hospitals (Business Insider) - quotes Marissa Baker
Coronavirus was identified two months ago — here's what we still don't know (Newsweek) - quotes Peter Rabinowitz and Nicole Errett
When it comes to coronavirus, we shouldn't let our feelings trump the facts (The Guardian) - opinion by Ann Bostrom and Nicole Errett
Local experts push for more preparation to confront coronavirus (KOMO 4 TV) - interviews Peter Rabinowitz
Why travel restrictions aren't stopping the coronavirus (National Geographic) - quotes Nicole Errett
More Americans worry about flu than new virus (Associated Press) - interviews Janet Baseman
Coronavirus forum brings experts together at UW (Q-13 TV) - features the MetaCenter for Pandemic Preparedness and Global Health Security and interviews public health student Nandita Somayaji
Seattle scientists, partners closing in on coronavirus vaccine (KOMO News) - quotes Rhea Coler
Olympia woman tests positive for coronavirus after cruise (My Northwest) - quotes Peter Rabinowitz
Five with coronavirus headed to Spokane hospital (KIRO 7 TV) - features Judith Wasserheit and members of a UW panel discussion (at 1:35)
Coronavirus has U.S. cities stretching to monitor self-quarantined Americans (Wall Street Journal) - mentions UW public health students on the SEAL Team
Coronavirus infection found after cruise ship passengers disperse (New York Times) - quotes Peter Rabinowitz
Home quarantine for travelers buys time as new virus spreads (Associated Press) - features photo of epidemiology student Erika Feutz
Coronavirus 'hits all the hot buttons' for how we misjudge risk (New York Times) - mentions UW faculty and students
The coronavirus outbreak has upended office life in Asia, revealing a massive gap in who can count on having a job (Business Insider India) - quotes Marissa Baker
Government extends 14-day ban on tourists travelling from China (Australia Broadcast Corp.) - interviews Peter Rabinowitz
Coronavirus cases seemed to be leveling off — not anymore (New York Times) - quotes Peter Rabinowitz
Huge shelters for coronavirus patients pose new risks, experts fear (New York Times) - quotes Nicole Errett
UW expert answers questions about the novel coronavirus pandemic (UW News) - features soundbites and B-roll with Judith Wasserheit
Cruise ship coronavirus infections double, exceeding the total for any country but China (Washington Post) - quotes Peter Rabinowitz
Can face masks prevent coronavirus? Experts say that depends (Time) - Peter Rabinowitz
Jump in coronavirus cases on ship poses a critical test for Japan (New York Times) - quotes Peter Rabinowitz and John Lynch
Inundated with flu patients, U.S. hospitals brace for coronavirus (New York Times) - quotes Nicole Errett
Can people spread coronavirus to pets? (KING 5 TV) - quotes Peter Rabinowitz
Are travel bans effective? (DEOHS) - features Nicole Errett
Spread of coronavirus highlights need for strengthened global health security - Judith Wasserheit co-authors blog post for Infectious Diseases Society of America
Robust public-health prevention is key to contain coronavirus (Seattle Times) -- op-ed by Ann Marie Kimball
Face mask hoarders may raise risk of coronavirus outbreak in the US (New York Times) - quotes Peter Rabinowitz
Your most pressing questions about the coronavirus, answered (Science News) - quotes Trevor Bedford
Why Washington state's health experts aren't panicking yet about the Wuhan coronavirus (Seattle Times) - quotes Janet Baseman
Coronavirus: Symptoms, Treatments and Science (New York Times) - quotes Peter Rabinowitz
First U.S. Case of Deadly Wuhan Coronavirus Reported in Washington State, CDC Says (Daily Beast) - quotes Janet Baseman
Response To 1st Coronavirus Case In Washington State Draws On Lessons From Measles (NPR) - features Janet Baseman
Tracking the coronavirus epidemic from Wuhan to the world (Fred Hutch) - features Trevor Bedford
Q&A Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health - Seattle King County (Public Health Insider)