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COVID-19 Vaccine Research

VOLUNTEER & MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Volunteer for a COVID-19 Vaccine at UTMBHelp our scientists in their efforts to find a vaccine for COVID-19. Our Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences is recruiting healthy volunteers ages 18-85 for a COVID-19 vaccine study. Participants must be available for about 7 scheduled visits over 24 mos. 

Every modern vaccine and medicine we have today was studied in hundreds to thousands of people before becoming available to the public. Involving people from all backgrounds  improves the development of any vaccine for everyone. Joining a clinical trial is an important and personal decision. We hope it is one you will consider.

Interested? Call 409-772-5278 or 832-340-2313, or email sivsctp@utmb.edu.

COVID Prevention Network Study information

Healthy Families and Community

Keep Yourself Healthy

First, one major way to help is to do everything you can to keep yourself healthy and out of our care. Most have heard about “flattening the curve.” The fewer people that get sick at once, the better we’ll be able to manage this crisis. So wash your hands, practice social distancing, and stay home as much as you can. Listen to the guidance and instructions from your local government and public health officials.

Get more information on staying well online

Help Each Other

The negative impact on families, businesses, jobs and livelihoods caused by the pandemic is unprecedented, and still evolving. People, even healthy ones, need help. Consider supporting local restaurants who are offering takeout, buy gift certificates to businesses that are temporarily closed. Reach out to local social service agencies to find ways to safely support their efforts.

Go online to explore ways to put your time and/or dollars to help.

Give Life
DonatePlasma2

Give Blood

There’s not enough blood in the best of times, and there’s always a critical shortage during a regional emergency like a hurricane. You can imagine what happens to the supply when the crisis is global like this pandemic, and the way we are mitigating it is to tell people to stay home. But the need for blood never goes away, and hospitals like ours always have a need. There is no substitute.

To donate blood, contact one of UTMB Health’s regional blood partners, such as the MD Anderson Cancer Center Blood Bank. 

Local blood centers are taking special precautions to help contain the spread of COVID-19. Many, like MD Anderson, are scheduling appointments for donations and have eliminated walk-up donations or waiting in line outside a donor coach.

See Upcoming Blood Donation Events

Give “Convalescent Plasma”

People who have recovered from COVID-19 – those who previously tested positive and now have no symptoms and test negative – have built up high levels of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) that defended their body against the virus. Collecting plasma from a recovered individual and then injecting it into a person still fighting the virus could help stimulate a stronger immune response in the sick individual. Plasma transfusions are generally safe and tolerated well by most patients, but the therapy has not been tested for effectiveness against COVID-19.

However, the FDA has recently allowed for the “emergency use” of COVID-19 convalescent plasma as an investigational therapy. This approval is not for a clinical trial, but provides a potential additional treatment option for critically ill patients.
 

More about Convalescent Plasma Donations

Make a Donation

The outpouring of support from our local communities has been heartwarming and awe-inspiring. While our caregivers and other team members are on the frontline in the battle against this coronavirus, they are strengthened by the encouragement and extraordinary support of those we serve.

 

Donations of Food

Many area restaurants and businesses, victims themselves of the COVID-19 crisis, have very generously offered meals to our various teams. Thank you, we are grateful. We just ask that any gifts of food be individually wrapped and identified, or items must be boxed or bagged together. For more information, please send an email to covidsup@utmb.edu.

 

Donations of Love

We love the cards, notes, drawings by kids. Consider sending them in electronically, to keep your family indoors and reduce the risk of spreading the virus via paper. Share with us at social@utmb.edu and we will post for our staff to enjoy.

 

PPE and other Medical Supplies

The national shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) has made headlines. We’ve being very judicious with how we are using our stocked PPE. We’ve been fortunate to have had individuals and businesses share PPE supplies with us, and have set up a process at the Galveston Campus and at the Clear Lake Campus to receive donated PPE, catalog it and distribute to needed sites. For more information, please send an email to covidsup@utmb.edu.

 

Donations of DIY PPE

The internet has come alive with an army of incredible do-it-yourselfers who are putting their time, talent, sewing machines and crafting skills to good use creating DIY surgical masks, caps, face shields and more. The support and concern for our UTMB healthcare team, and other caregivers around the country, is empowering.

We’ve spoken with those coordinating our COVID response, and right now, UTMB still has adequate supplies and is not using DIY products in our healthcare setting (that could change at some point in the future). In the meantime, there are many volunteer groups engaged in activities such as delivering food that could use support and make use of some of these products. Please consider contacting your local United Way, Salvation Army, or other support agencies about the donation of DIY masks and similar products.

Support the Science

Help fund our research

A recent headline in the Houston Chronicle posed an intriguing question: "UTMB once helped defeat Ebola. Can it replicate that success with coronavirus?"

It's an urgent priority. Every day, the number of COVID-19 infections continues to grow and the death toll continues to mount.

At UTMB, we're hard at work on a solution. UTMB's research talent is at the forefront of the global fight against infectious diseases, including this newest coronavirus.

COVID-19As one of only two laboratories of its kind in the United States, our Galveston National Laboratory was established in 2009 to provide advanced research on and develop countermeasures against the world's worst infectious diseases. Throughout the lab, UTMB researchers are attacking the virus on several fronts:

  • We're hard at work on a vaccine.
  • We're developing a better test that can detect asymptomatic carriers of the disease.
  • And we've devised a tool for rapid evaluation of the antibody-inducing capabilities of potential vaccines, reducing the time it takes to get a vaccine to market.

But that work is resource intensive. Without philanthropic support from dedicated individuals, life-saving advances like these are elusive.

We know many are facing trying times. Lives have been upended. Livelihoods have been compromised, and communities have been torn apart.

If you can, please consider investing in a solution and helping us restore hope.

Support UTMB's COVID-19 Research Fund

Contact US

Have a question or suggestion for us?

Contact our UTMB COVID-19 Community Outreach Team at covidsup@utmb.edu.

Together, we’ll WORK WONDERS to get through this.
Thank you.

Thank You

Thank You to our Neighborhood Heroes

It takes a village, and our village has been incredible! We've seen an outpouring of support, encouragement and donations from individuals, small local businesses and large organizations. Thank you. Your support fuels and inspires us.

  • Kroger's in conjunction with the UTMB Stroke Program donated over 100 pastries to say Thank You to the Neuro 11B, Neuro ICU, Neuro Residents and the Emergency Department.

  • Sen. Larry Taylor recently donated lunch from Nick’s Kitchen and Beach Bar to all 300 employees in Laboratory Services.

  • Kalpesh Patel of League City, owner of Hampton Inn and Suites, recently donated pizzas to our health-care workers. The hotel is located next door to the hospital and has been one of the hotels participating in housing our employees.

  • Isabella Williams, a sixth-grader at Friendswood Junior High and daughter of UTMB surgeon Stephen Williams, donated the $2,000 she made from selling her artwork via Facebook to UTMB’s COVID-19 employee relief fund.

  • The Gaido's Restaurant team donated 800 meals that consisted of boiled shrimp, corn and potatoes. The University Events and Catering team executed the pick-up, service and distribution to the UTMB Health System Employees.

  • Desi Kitchen in Houston treated the CLC staff to a delicious meal of Indian cuisine. Thank you Desi Kitchen for recognizing our hard-working staff with your delicious food.

  • Lauren Perez with the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce recently visited UTMB Health’s Texas City COVID-19 clinic to deliver handmade cards and thank you letters from chamber members.

  • Katie Thompson with Post Acute Medical Rehab Hospitals of Clear Lake arrived earlier this week with lunch from Jason’s Deli for all CLC nurses in honor of National Nurses Week.

  • What a honor to receive these amazing encouraging cards from Friendswood ISD! Thank you for your support of our campus and the uplifting words!

  • Thank you, Advantage BMW of Clear Lake, for the delicious delivery of Chick-fil-a meals to our front line staff! It came delivered to our campus in a caravan of beautiful BMW SUVs!

  • Salata and Baybrook Mall teamed up to feed the evening crew at UTMB's Clear Lake Campus, which, by the way, is celebrating the one-year anniversary of joining UTMB Health!

  • Valero's Texas City employees recently took timeout to send words of thanks to UTMB's health care heroes. Thank you, Valero, for recognizing UTMB and for all you do for our community.

  • Galveston’s Orange Leaf Yogurt provided a refreshing afternoon treat for UTMB front-line medical staff. Thanks for thinking of us, Orange Leaf.

  • Sunday School class members at Coastal Community Church Sunday school classmates pooled their resources to provide snacks and blessings to administrators and medical staff at UTMB’s Galveston campus.

  • The Daily News partnered with Galveston's MOD Coffee Shop to deliver goodie bags to UTMB’s frontline staff working in the COVID-19 units. Thank you Daily News for keeping us well-informed during the pandemic and MOD for keeping us caffeinated.

  • Hubcap and Tramonte Realty donated lunch recently for the OR. Amy Lussier invited other departments who have worked hard to care for our patients, including Respiratory Therapists and Cath Lab staff.

  • Domino's Pizza was ordered for nurses/staff at Hospital Galveston recently and when it got there, Domino's comped the ticket.

  • The UT-Texas A&M rivalry was laid aside as representatives of the Maritime Business Aggies student group brought breakfast tacos to feed the frontline staff at UTMB Health's Jennie Sealy Hospital.

  • Thank you Mike, from our neighborhood Panera Bread, for the delicious bagels! We appreciate your support of our healthcare workers.

  • Princella Hotchkiss of Galveston has done her part to say thank you to UTMB nurses on the front lines of COVID-19, producing more than 500 homemade cards, each adorned with a small gift, to distribute to throughout the UTMB healthcare system.

  • The students at the Primrose School of League City at Victory Lakes recently made posters for healthcare workers. Their posters were given to the team on 11A in Jennie Sealy and brought smiles to their faces.

  • Trish Wooten has been busy working from home but when she calls it a day from her UTMB duties, she gets out her sewing supplies. Trish has made almost 300 masks!

  • Physical Therapist Charles Hardy made more than 100 masks for his staff and others.

  • Taylor Martinez delivers a thank you picture and brownies to the League City Hospital Campus Respiratory Therapists. Her mom (also pictured) is respiratory therapist Tiffaney Martinez, RRT.

  • Personal care items were delivered to the UTMB Angleton Danbury Campus! Thank you Healing Touch.

  • UTMB Health ADC's respiratory care clinic received lunch courtesy of Merle Norman Studio-Angleton, Texas and Goe Harley-Davidson. Thank you to our community partners whose generous hearts continue to span the region.

  • The Angleton Danbury Campus ECHO department received lunch from our partners at Bracco Diagnostics, our ECHO contrast supplier.

  • Charlie Tinsley, executive of the Bay Area Council of Boy Scouts of America, delivered 90 cases of butter, chocolate, caramel and white cheddar popcorn to UTMB Health's Galveston campus on Monday.

  • League City Masonic Lodge 1053 and their partner Burger Nation in League City prepared pulled pork for UTMB's League City Campus. Thank you, Burger Nation and League City Masons!

  • Thank you, AMOCO, for the delicious lunch delivery today! We appreciate your kindness and recognition of our healthcare team!

  • Special thanks, Mr. Jack Brown of American National, for the delicious meal delivery today. Our staff are extremely grateful for your thoughtfulness, encouragement, and generosity!

  • BASF donated a case of C4U hand sanitizer to the Angleton Danbury Campus. When the COVID-19 events generated a need for extra supplies, our neighbors at BASF stepped into the gap! Thank you for being a community partner, not only for UTMB, but our region.

  • Thank you TDECU for providing meals for our Emergency Room and Triage tent teams! We can’t thank you enough for your caring hearts and generous actions. Talk About Good Restaurant & Catering, the food was delicious!

  • Jeff Ryall and Geoff Elam from The Trevino Group donated lunch from El Tiempo to the League City Campus Periop department recently.

  • LifeStyle Financial Advisors of Friendswood said thank you to UTMB's Texas City and League City COVID-19 clinic staff with delicious lunches from local restaurants. It was a nice treat for our hardworking health care professionals.

  • League City Campus Respiratory Therapists and Nurses received a Panera Bread lunch donation from a friend of Medical Director Dr. Aristides Koutrouvelis.

  • Thank you, MOD Pizza, for the delicious lunch delivery today! We appreciate your support of our healthcare workers!

  • Thank you to Martha Hernandez, who on behalf of The Most Holy Trinity Church, gifted Angleton Danbury Campus with this beautiful wreath.

  • The Supply Chain Services team recently donated about 15,000 masks to the Galveston Fire Department. Zach Boyer, Rafael Mendoza, Josh Birch, Adrian De La Paz and Chris Toomes made the delivery to Fire Station No. 1.

  • Medical Student, Caitlin Gerich, and her husband donate face shields to the UTMB Pediatric inpatient unit. These were 3D printed. Receiving the donation is Dr. Geetha Radhakrishnan (holding box) and the Pediatric Inpatient Team.

  • The evening staff at UTMB's Galveston ER received a special treat when Susan Falgout and Fellman Seinsheimer had the chefs at the San Luis serve up an Easter Sunday feast in medical team's honor.

  • PJ and Tara Head, owners of Koop’s BBQ, provided Easter Sunday lunch to UTMB employees within the women’s infant’s and children’s programs at UTMB’s Galveston campus.

  • Texas City's Valero honored UTMB's Dr. Michael Allen with breakfast for the Department of Family Medicine.

  • It took a stretcher to wheel in all the meals when AMOCO Federal Credit Union came to UTMB's League City Campus with lunch for everyone!

  • Danny Hart from Galveston Restaurant Group delivered lunch today to the administrative office. Mrs. Mary Lou Kelso donated the meals.

  • The Galveston Cath Lab received a donation of 50 face shields to use during procedures and 100 face masks for them to protect themselves outside of work from Healy Sportswear.

  • Farmers Alloy Fabricating in Galveston generously donated face shields to help protect UTMB caregivers, modeled in these photos by Drs. Lisa Farmer and Lynn Knox.

  • The Edgewater church youth group sent over cookies and cards to the staff at UTMB Health Multispecialty Center in recognition for the exceptional care they are giving to patients.

  • Thank you to Lunacy Tacos and Jim Luna for donating and delivering breakfast for the Emergency (ER) and triage team. Your community spirit and generosity is much appreciated.

  • ADC Auxiliary sent warm wishes to the staff through beautiful bouquets of flowers with a a message of thanks for all that our team does for our patients and the community!

  • Angleton Christian School delivered a special Friday night meal to our healthcare team - along with a special letter of prayer and thanks.

  • Not only did our local League City Starbucks deliver coffee and treats to our nurses, they wrote a special note of thanks. Thank you Starbucks!

  • Amy O’Conner, Jasmine Winfree and Sam Holder enjoy yummy breakfast tacos sent in by Pit Stop BBQ. What a wonderful gesture from Pit Stop for our Super Heros.

  • Thank you to Girl Scout Troop 139111. Not only did they deliver the League City Campus with cases of Girl Scout Cookies.... each scout wrote a lovely card. Attached is our favorite.

  • Chef Bass donated 52 loaves of her delicious bread to say “Thanks!” to the UTMB family members working hard at our League City Hospital Campus and our Clear Lake Hospital Campus.

  • Jack and Katie Brown worked with the San Luis Resort and Conference Center to deliver more than 100 breakfast tacos to UTMB staff on Friday.

  • Tony Gonzales did it again, with the delivery of more donated lunches from Smooth Tony’s. This time Tony recognized our hard-working lab employees and the Materials Management/Supply Chain staff.

  • Owner Kalpesh Patel and his family and staff from the Hampton Inn and Suites and Candlewood Suites in League City, provided breakfast for their neighbors at UTMB's League City Campus ER.

  • Thanks to Cindy and Jim Earthman, Margaret and Dr. Harry Kelso, and Dianne and Fred Burns, along with the chefs at the San Luis, for this delicious tribute to UTMB's world-class Galveston National Lab scientists and staff.

  • Dell Technologies, a UTMB IT partner, said "Thank you!" to our frontline warriors in the battle against the pandemic with a meal for the night shift serving on the Galveston COVID-19 units.

  • Mr. Tom Henderson drove from West Columbia to bring us the supplies he had in his workshop.

  • Thank you Chick-fil-A and Pearland Coffee Roasters for the delicious lunch and coffee! We appreciate the thoughtfulness of our neighbors!

  • Special thanks to the Bay Area Taco Cabana for the delicious lunch today! We appreciate your support of our health care workers!

  • For the past week, the Dietary teams from the Bayou Cafe’ have hand-delivered a small bite of sweetness to our team members. It’s the little things that remind us all that we are in this together.

  • Thank you to the anonymous family who had pizza delivered to more than 50 healthcare team members on night shift! They asked to remain anonymous but we extend our heartfelt thanks and smiles!

  • Thank you to United Way of Brazoria County for your generous donation-reallocation of 270 N95 masks.

  • Huge thank you to the Lake Jackson Chick-Fil-A for donating breakfast to the entire UTMB Health Angleton Danbury Hospital!

  • Thank you Anthony & the Chuck E. Cheese family for the delicious pizza delivery today! The UTMB Clear Lake family is grateful for your thoughtfulness and generosity!

  • Thank you, TG Energy Industrial Services, for the wonderful lunch! We’re so proud of our physician partners and our staff. Serving the Bay Area proudly.

  • Thank you to Dickinson ISD for the invaluable donation of Personal Protective Equipment to our hospital!

  • Thank you to City Ambulance for the generous donation of N95 masks!

  • Thank you to our neighborhood Starbucks for our afternoon pick me up!

  • Thank you to RDA ProMart for your generous donation of gloves to our campus!

  • Thank you to Sam’s Club for being a great neighbor during these difficult times and donating bottles of hand sanitizer to our hospital!

  • UTMB medical students Ethan Hinds and Zak Kennedy have been hard at work obtaining bottles of hand sanitizer for healthcare professionals amidst COVID-19.

  • A local company, Team Rubicon, dropped off a donation of surgical and N95 masks at the home of one our Galveston RMCHP nurses.

  • Tony Gonzales of Smooth Tony's restaurant in Galveston recognized UTMB's hard-working greeters with a great-tasting lunch.

  • The UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine received 30 personal-size sanitizers as well as several refill bottles from the Texas Tail Distillery.

  • Renown local Chef Mary Bass made a special delivery today to UTMB’s mother-baby unit, NICU and PICU!

  • The Doubletree Hotel by Hilton Galveston Beach employees baked dozens of their famous chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.

  • UTMB Police Chief Kenith Adcox and his leadership team kept the UTMB Police Department well-fed while they’re on campus.

  • Texadelphia restaurant in Galveston donated 100 boxed lunches!

  • Gypsy Joynt and Mosquito Cafe/Patty Cakes prepared delicious bakery treats for UTMB faculty and staff.

COVID-19 General FAQs

FAQs

  • What is COVID-19

    Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). The novel coronavirus, now known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

    While COVID-19 causes only mild illness in some infected individuals, it may cause serious lower respiratory infection leading to hospitalization and even death.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers this factsheet highlighting important information you should know about Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-10).

    Last modified on 3/16/2020

  • How do I help prevent the spread of COVID-19 if I am sick?
    • Stay home unless you need medical care
    • Separate yourself from other people and animals in your home
    • Call ahead before visiting a clinic
    • Wear a mask
    • Cover your coughs and sneezes
    • Clean your hands often
    • Avoid sharing personal household items
    • Clean all “high touch” surfaces every day
    • Monitor your symptoms

    Last modified on 3/10/2020

  • Can I get tested for the coronavirus? What’s the process?

    Patients with symptoms of respiratory illness, including cough, fever or shortness of breath, can schedule online or contact the UTMB Health Access Center at (800) 917-8906 to speak with our 24/7 nurse hotline.

    • Patients should follow recommendations for testing, self-isolation and management of symptoms.
    • Any patient experiencing a worsening of symptoms—particularly shortness of breath—a few days after first becoming ill should contact the Access Center IMMEDIATELY. To keep our patients and employees safe, UTMB tests our patients for COVID-19 in advance of any procedure or hospital admission.
    • To keep our patients and employees safe, UTMB tests our patients for COVID-19 in advance of any procedure or hospital admission.
    • You may also wish to check with your local county health officials for testing available through local government. In Galveston County, Health District testing information is online.

    Please note: Our process and procedures may be updated as the COVID-19 situation develops in our region.

    Last modified on 10/16/2020

  • How long does the virus remain active on inanimate objects, such as clothing, currency, coins, and hard surfaces such as countertops and door handles?

    This is one of the topics that remains under study; it's still not certain exactly how long the virus that causes COVID-19 survives on surfaces. According to the World Health Organization, studies suggest that coronaviruses (including preliminary information on the COVID-19 virus) may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days (at one point nine days was mentioned, which the latest studies suggest may be unlikely). Survival of the virus will vary under different conditions, including type of surface, temperature, humidity and moisture, exposure to sunlight, and other factors.

    If you think a surface may be infected, clean it with simple disinfectant to kill the virus and protect yourself and others. Wash your hands with soap and water or clean them with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose. 

    Last modified on 3/14/2020

  • How to protect yourself
    • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
    • Stay home when you are sick.
    • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
    • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
    • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.

    If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

    Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

    Last modified on 3/5/2020

  • How does COVID-19 spread?

    COVID-19 is a new disease and we are still learning how it spreads, the severity of illness it causes and to what extent it may spread in the United States.

    The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

    • Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
    • Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

    These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

    Last modified on 3/5/2020

  • Can COVID-19 spread from contact with infected surfaces or objects?

    It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

    How easily a virus spreads from person-to-person can vary. Some viruses are highly contagious (spread easily), like measles, while other viruses do not spread as easily. Another factor is whether the spread is sustained, spreading continually without stopping.

    The virus that causes COVID-19 seems to be spreading easily and sustainably in the community (“community spread”) in some affected geographic areas.

    Community spread means people have been infected with the virus in an area, including some who are not sure how or where they became infected.

    Last modified on 3/16/2020

  • Can someone spread the virus without being sick?
    • People are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest).
    • Some spread might be possible before people show symptoms; there have been reports of this occurring with this new coronavirus, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

    Last modified on 3/5/2020

  • If someone has minor symptoms and tests positive for COVID-19, can they be isolated at home instead of a hospital?

    At this time, patients testing positive for COVID-19 who have mild symptoms, are not over age 60 and do not have an underlying medical condition are advised to isolate at home. If a patient with COVID-19 is concerned, begins to experience shortness of breath, starts feeling worse a week or so into the illness, is over age 60 or has an underlying medical condition, they are strongly encouraged to call their doctor or the UTMB Access Center at (800) 917-8906 to speak with our 24/7 nurse hotline.

    Last modified on 3/16/2020