3 Steps to Help Prevent Another Animal-to-Human Virus Pandemic (Seattle Times, co-written by Peter Rabinowitz)

By Peter Rabinowitz and Greg Gray

Governments and individuals are taking unprecedented, often very austere actions to control the ongoing spread of the pandemic coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). However, they are neglecting an extremely important question that could cause the loss of millions of more lives — how do we prevent the next zoonotic respiratory virus pandemic?

We have not yet identified the source of this virus. What if a new version emerges from the original animal source to cause a second wave of this pandemic?

Coronavirus: Our Experts in the News

The following links are a collection of news stories about the coronavirus that either quote, include, or were written by Department of Global Health faculty and staff. This includes video interviews with local and national media outlets, as well as written stories detailing DGH's research and innovation in fighting COVID-19. 

Also see UW School of Public Health's web pages on Coronavirus Response, Resources and News

UW to Lead National Study of Drug Promoted by President Trump to Fight Coronavirus (Seattle Times, Includes Ruanne Barnabas)

Researchers at the University of Washington on Friday announced a major new study of the malaria drug President Donald Trump has praised as a possible, low-cost cure for COVID-19.

The clinical trial is one of dozens around the world aimed at providing definitive evidence about the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine, either alone or in combination with the antibiotic azithromycin, against the novel coronavirus.

Why There Isn’t a One-Size-Fits-All Plan for States to Reopen Their Economies (The Conversation, Q&A with Hilary Godwin)

In this Q&A, Hilary Godwin, dean of the University of Washington School of Public Health, explains why it makes sense for groups of states, such as Washington, Oregon and California, to coordinate their plans.

Governors are walking a tightrope as they try to figure out how to safely ease off social distancing restrictions and restart their economies without triggering a new surge in coronavirus cases.

Editorial: WHO Needs Funding, Not Scapegoating (Seattle Times, Quotes Judd Walson

Congress must quickly reverse President Donald Trump’s defunding of the World Health Organization.

This should be a bipartisan priority, to provide U.S. leadership in combating the worldwide pandemic and support WHO’s broader, ongoing global-health mission.

The WHO made errors in its initial response to the coronavirus but so did Trump, who is scapegoating and undermining a critical health organization when it’s desperately needed to save lives.

Africa Needs Afrocentric Solutions to Beat COVID-19 (Seattle Times - Written by Kingsley Ndoh)

While the U.S. and Europe battle to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, I can’t help but think about how Africa will cope when it becomes the next epicenter. Based on the three-month-old data that we have about the virus and its spread, guidelines on prevention, containment and mitigation have been set by the World Health Organization (WHO). So far, several African governments have adopted the U.S. and European approach that is centered on lockdowns, social distancing and frequent hand washing with soap and water.

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